The Gul'dan Chronicles Episode I
by TrevorGuldan
Summary: One year after QuiGon Jinn's death in TPM The Phantom Menace, a young padawan is nearing the end of his apprenticeship. This is his story. Original characters in the Star Wars Universe, which belongs to Mr. G. Lucas
1. Chapter 1

FOOLPROOF

The city-planet of Coruscant turned on its poles just like any other day. The sun, Coruscant Prime, blazed on in the center of the system, providing heat, light and radiation to the surrounding planets. The morning light permeated the hazy atmosphere to shine on the Jedi Temple. As the sunlight reached the dormitories under the Reassignment Council Tower, if a holocam had been pointing to the interior of room 1154-B, it would have found Jedi Padawan pacing his room nervously. The normally stoic pupil kept moving his head side-to-side to eliminate the tense muscles in his neck. The exterior of the Jedi Temple faced the southern sky, so he had more light than many of the other Padawans in the Temple. The stories of how a recently promoted Jedi Knight named Obi-Wan Kenobi defeating a possible Sith still circulated, even though eighteen months had passed since the Battle of Naboo. Though more recent events kept popping to the forefront of his memories, the padawan kept going through different calming techniques to release the strain on his aching muscles. 

The young man, nearing his thirtieth Standard year, removed his eye patch / cap combination to reveal that he was not a human as he first appeared. His was a Miraluka, a species that through evolution did not use their eyes to see. Instead, a Miraluka used the Force to sense where things were. A few Miraluka had become Jedi or Sith throughout the history of the Galactic Republic, but as an orphan, Trevor Gul'dan did not have this kind of knowledge. Instead, he had spent his youth trying to adapt his vision to what he needed. With his clan mates, he spent countless hours trying to interpret colors using his 'vision' as a 'normal' human. Trevor was picked on by older orphans during his formative years by those who were bigger and felt that this 'blind kid' should not be outdoing anyone not of human birth. All of the harassment stopped the day that the Jedi Master arrived at the doorway to the room. The figure had been imposing, even more so to someone barely half a meter tall. But it was the gentle eyes that provided the most straightforward communication. Eventually, this Jedi became Trevor's teacher, guardian, and role model. Shudo Laan's Anx heritage had made the pair nearly inseparable. Shudo's grasp of anatomy and the racial abilities of the Miraluka made this pair very unique.

Trevor continued to pace his room. The dormitory rooms that Shudo and his padawans had been provided for the last thirty years were not unique, as large / small pairing had occurred throughout the Order's history. This particular room faced the sun during the morning hours, which Trevor appreciated, especially today. It usually made him feel warm and comfortable, and feeling in across his face made his attempt at relaxation a bit easier. The Miraluka stood in the light, letting the heat warm him. Upon removing his eye patch, the bald head started to bead with sweat, not unlike during saber-drills with Master Mace Windu for hours on end. The tension eased off his solid muscular build. His most recent physical, in fact just yesterday, showed that he weight nearly 95 kilograms and in excellent physical condition. Trevor could easily be mistaken for a comic-hero from the magazines some of the orphans were reading these days. It wasn't rare for Miraluka to become Jedi—there were several Miraluka Jedi operating out of the Temple in these troubled times. However, there was more who served in non-Jedi positions, lacking either the determination or the opportunity to complete their training. Despite their numbers among the Jedi, most species often mistook Miraluka for blind humans. While this was a great deception ploy, it was not without its downfalls. Two months ago, on his last mission to capture a recent escapee from a Judicial holding cell, he had found himself stranded on Myrkr surrounded by ysalamiri, creatures that created voids in the Force, while avoiding vornskyrs. It was the most troubling time in his life, attributed to the lack of sight for the first time. He now knew what it was like to be without sight, and it bothered him. Shudo had let Trevor recover at his own pace, and had recently made a comment that it was almost time to get back on the bantha. He unconsciously shivered, as he remembered the sound of howling vornskrs hunting him when he did finally get his 'sight' back.

The door announcer broke the silence of the morning relaxation, jolting Trevor out of his reverie. '_Odd_,' thought Trevor. '_Who could that be?_' He turned his Force-sight to the door, revealing the shape of Master Shudo standing directly outside. Trevor stood and walked towards the door, resisting the urge to use the Force to open a door inside the Temple. Shudo had made it a source of discussion a few times recently saying that it would show a lack of discipline. Master Shudo often reminded him not to use the Force for trivial tasks, or to accomplish things that could be achieved through more conventional means. Trevor replaced his eye patch, reached for the actuator and opened the door, stepping out before the door completed the open/close cycle.

"Good morning, Master Shudo," spoke Trevor, bowing in greeting and respect.

"Good morning, Trevor." whispered Laan, nodding in return. "Are you well this morning, my young Padawan? You look a bit pale." The bond between master and student amplified already inherent abilities.

"I'm fine, Master, I was just thinking about Myrkr again. It is taking longer to remove the fear that I felt on that mission."

Shudo nodded. "Fear itself isn't wrong, Trevor; it's natural. It is only wrong when you allow it control over you. Be mindful of your fear, without being fearful of it."

A smile slowly formed Trevor's lips. It sounded like a lecture of Master Yoda's teachings, and Trevor couldn't resist joking with his teacher just a little. "Been working on replacing Master Yoda's lecture series? You are starting to sound like him." His grin grew bigger, sensing that his health was not the reason for the visit.

The great Anx's crest coloring changed from a nervous reddish-orange to humorous yellow. "No, my young student; I am just trying to keep your spirits up."

"Thank you, Master. You have done a very good job of it. But I'm sure that cheering me up is not why you stopped by."

"No, as a matter of fact, it was not. I require you to prepare for a mission."

Trevor's eye-patch raised itself slightly. He had not been on a mission since Myrkr and he silently wondered if he was ready. "I need only a few moments, Master. Is there anything special I need to bring?"

"Nothing much, Padawan. We will not be leaving Coruscant." That was a switch. Trevor hadn't been on a local mission in years. He often got out of the Temple and traveled amongst the population, but rarely as a Jedi.

"Master, I only need a few things. I'll be back directly."

"No rush, Trevor. We don't need to leave for another hour. I will return in that time." Shudo bowed to his student and walked away. The elder Jedi wondered what it would take to get his student out of the downward spiral that his student's mind-set had been following, but knew that the Council requested his assistance on this particular matter. The mission itself was not strenuous, or at least it wasn't planned to be. But plans had ways of changing, especially when it involved many unknowns.

Trevor retreated into his room and catalogued what he would need. As the mission was local, he figured that he didn't need too much. His belongings were normally packed neatly in their places and retrieving what was needed was not difficult. He gathered from storage his utility belt, the lightsaber provided to him by Shudo shortly after his graduation from initiate to Padawan, and a few other odds and ends. He reviewed the inventory and decided to bring along a collapsible quarterstaff-sized walking stick that he had procured after he was "blinded" on Myrkr. It might be considered a crutch by some he knew, but it gave him some strength of will whenever he recalled the Dark Time, as he recently joked. He added some food pellets into his belt, and attached a grappling hook and liquid cable dispenser. One never knew what one needed, so better to be prepared. He fastened the rest of his gear on his belt, and then checked everything twice. When he was done, Trevor took the next forty-five minutes to meditate. It was the most refreshing meditation he had in a long time. '_I must be ready_,' thought Trevor, adjusting his belt one last time and pressing the door mechanism for the second time that hour. He adjusted his vision to be near normal, allowing a slight Force presence to overlay what a human would see. This was Trevor's favorite mode, especially since walking through the Garden of a Thousand Fountains and seeing the vivid color of a rainbow when he was thirteen.

Trevor opened the door to his room just as Shudo was emerging from his own quarters. The towering Anx lumbered down the hall with the stately grace of a man in thought. His tall crested head nearly brushed the ceiling in several spots, but he knew the temple well—Trevor couldn't remember ever seeing him bump the crest inside the Temple. Shudo and Trevor walked down the hall towards the main turbolift of the tower. On the way, Shudo explained the mission. They were going to escort Oron Essada, a new senator from Umgul. Several traditionalist factions on Umgul were strongly opposed to the Senator's recent election, and he was concerned that there was might be an attack on his life. The arrangements were still being made for a permanent bodyguard, but until then the Jedi Council had agreed to a short-term protection detail.

"I also thought that it would be a good opportunity to help get your confidence back. I have noticed that you have been tentative recently in your studies and during training time. I normally have to slow you down," Master Shudo took the time to rib his student.

Trevor nodded, saying nothing while trying to keep his nerves in check. Repeating the Jedi Code to himself calmed him a little. The Jedi Code was so difficult to live up to, but Trevor knew that even without the code, his life would have been difficult. He reminded himself—as Master Shudo had taught him—that the code was more than a set of rules or restrictions. It was a guide in times of trouble, a foundation to stand on when things were uncertain; a mantra to drown out the howls of hungry vornskrs in his memory.

The rest of the journey to the landing platform was uneventful and quiet. Shudo and Trevor talked very little on the journey. Shudo started on the cultures of the Umgul society when they received word the Senator's shuttle was on its final approach. The bulky red-striped shuttle touched down a little hard, sending a shutter through the platform. As the dust cleared and the ramp extended out, Shudo walked forward towards the shuttle's docking door. Trevor walked behind Shudo, his walking staff extended. Trevor could see a slight tinge of humor on Shudo's crest, but only one who was extremely close to him would know how much concentration it took him to conceal his moods. Trevor turned his face towards the shuttle, and up, but concentrated on keeping his Force-sight on the loading ramp.

The timed clanking of metal on metal approaching met their ears, and Master Shudo's back straightened. Eight battle droids emblazoned with Umgulian delegation markings on the front marched down the exit ramp surrounded a rather confident-looking gentleman in his mid-forties. The group marched directly towards the Jedi. Once they were within five meters, they parted to form a circle, extending the perimeter out to approximately ten meters in diameter, allowing the senator to walk up to them.

"Good afternoon, Master Jedi," the senator said.

"Greetings, Senator Essada. I am Jedi Master Shudo Laan. The Jedi Council has appointed me to serve as your temporary guardian." Shudo extended a long hand toward Trevor. "This is my padawan learner, Trevor Gul'dan." The senator nodded politely toward Trevor, but couldn't quite hide a look of mild confusion as he glimpsed Trevor's blindfolded face. A simple idea popped into Trevor's young mind when Oron extended his hand. The younger Jedi purposefully moved his hand away from where the senator's hand was extended. Not much, just enough to portray that he didn't really know where the senator was. It worked perfectly; the senator shook his hand, and dismissed him with final bemused glance before his arm even returned to his side. The new

"I trust your trip went well?" Laan asked.

"An excellent journey, considering I've arrived in one piece," the senator guffawed.

Shudo nodded once, then paused to contemplate his next move. Trevor noticed that his master seemed to be a bit perplexed about the droids. Shudo did not make an issue, but Trevor noticed that his posture was a bit straighter. Trevor, using telepathy, asked Shudo, Trouble? Rather than responding through the Force, Shudo simply placed a reassuring hand on Trevor's shoulder, another of Master Shudo's subtle reminders that a Jedi need not rely on the Force alone when more conventional methods would suffice. Behind them, the senator was moving towards a trio of sky-cabs that were sitting nearby. Shudo had requested the Council to provide at least three sky-cabs to throw off any attempts on the Senator's life.

"Are we ready to go?" Essade asked his protection detail.

Shudo bowed towards the senator and—still grasping Trevor's shoulder—led his padawan toward the sky-cabs. The yellow tinge was back on Shudo's crest. Trevor knew he would get some ribbing and maybe a speaking-to from his Master for involving him in Trevor's charade, but humor was the closest emotion they could share at this point. Trevor and Essada, along with the droid-guards, moved towards the first, while Shudo got into the second. The remainder of the entourage moved towards the end. After a few minutes of getting settled, the sky-cabs took off, heading directly for the offices of the Galactic Senate, while droids loaded cargo skiffs with the Senator's belongings.

Arrival at the Galactic Senate building was something akin to controlled anarchy. Each Senator, as they were loosely called, had to exert some show of power over each other, as most politicians do. Delegates arriving and departing shook hands and made minor social promises that most would not keep. Most of the senators located at the landing platform ignored the newest delegate, but some recognized the new Senator from Umgul and proceeded to begin conversations with him. which suited Trevor just fine. It made things easier to pass from the landing area to the offices of the Umgul delegation. The cargo skiffs arrived a few tes poured from the shuttles as Trevor, Shudo and Senator Essada looked on. When most of the crates were loaded on small repulsor-pallets, the three of them turned towards the nearest turbolift. After entering the lift, they rose further and further up the building, and soon disembarked on a middle level floor. The Jedi exited the chamber first, and they noticed that the droid-guards were already ahead of them. The senator seemed to have a smug look on his face when he thought no one was looking.

The living quarters were efficiently located and the party entered, it was immediately evident that someone already had some pull within the political machine. The apartment was very lush and elegant, with room even for Master Shudo to move about freely. The Jedi reviewed the security system with the building guard, and after that, Shudo left to send a communication to the Council that Senator Essada had arrived safely. Trevor was left alone with Essada for a short time. Trevor continued the guise of a blind man, giving him the feeling that no one really cared what a blind man was doing in the middle of the hustle and bustle. The senator was busy with his people, moving crates in a more organized fashion. Trevor just happened to be out of the way the entire time. Shudo lumbered back in just as the last crates were settled. Shudo asked for some time alone with the senator, and he acquiesced.

Soon, the Jedi and the senator were seated around a small table in the anteroom to the senator's bedroom.

"Senator, there are a few things to discuss," began Shudo. "To begin, I shall let my Padawan speak."

Essada turned toward Trevor in expectation. Trevor wondered if maybe he was a bit smarter than he had given him credit for.

"To begin, Senator, I am not blind, as I may have lead to you to believe. I am a Miraluka, and I have no eyesight, as you would know it. I see through the Force, and just as well as you and Master Shudo do normally. I cover the top part of my face with this decorative headpiece." Trevor pulled back his hood, displaying a dark green and tan facemask where his eyes would be. A black cloth covered his head and both were securely fastened with an elaborate braiding behind his head. "I use this staff to portray a blind man to throw off potential enemies. I apologize for the deception and request that, when I have this staff in my hand, you treat me as if I were blind. Helps in my deception, sir."

"Apologize? Why? You did what you thought you must! An excellent ruse indeed!" the senator smiled. "This could give you quite an edge against your opponents. By all means, keep up appearances."

Shudo's yellow coloring returned once again, this time more pronounced, and directed the conversation back towards the task at hand. "Senator, what is your itinerary for the next few days?" His voice betrayed none of the emotion he displayed.

"I plan on being in my office bright and early in the morning, getting my affairs straightened out. I need to meet with the Malastare delegation, and there is a reception at the Umgul-Plobex corporate complex tomorrow evening."

"Who owns these droids?"

The senator laughed. "I do. I purchased them at an incredibly reasonable price from a salvage-dealer on Naboo after the Trade Federation debacle. They've been rigged to respond to a portable control computer, which I keep on my person at all times. Unlike the arrangement with the Trade Federation and their cumbersome droid-control ships, anyone who wishes to get to the control computer or me must get past my droids first. I've been assured that the control signal is completely un-sliceable."

"Indeed." Shudo mumbled, showing a skeptical mottling of pale blue and red speckles.

"Oh yes," Essada continued proudly. "It's completely foolproof."

"Very well, Senator. My Padawan and I will stand guard tonight. Please get some sleep. It seems that we will need it tomorrow."

The next day brought nothing but boredom. A politician's day was basically meeting after meeting after conference. There were at least fifteen different meetings that day, and most of them were impromptu affairs that lasted for more than a half-hour. Trevor thought to himself that it was a complete waste of time, but then remembered that politicians were part of the way of life that was Coruscant, and therefore, part of the balance in the Force. Essada moved around from early morning until retiring in the early afternoon to prepare for the evening festivities. During the downtime Shudo and Oron gave some lessons in political intrigue and identification. It actually became interesting after that point, because Trevor now understood both sides of the issues that Oron had presided over the entire day. After Trevor tidied his robes, the Jedi waited for the senator to finish his preparations. Once completed, the three entered a sky-shuttle to take them to the initial reception for the Umgul senator.

The approach to the reception was nerve-wracking, and Trevor twitched his head a bit. Shudo regarded him with an are-you-ready look. Trevor nodded once in reply. 'Well, it's time to put Myrkr behind me,' Trevor thought. Shudo and Trevor turned up their hoods to blend into the crowd better and the group disembarked.

They arrived at the reception hall following Senator Essada and a few of his staff. There were a great many stares as the Jedi entered, especially at Shudo. Neither Shudo nor Trevor moved. 'You would stare, too, if you were to find three-plus meters of brown cloth standing in a doorway' Trevor thought to himself. He nearly smiled, but after scanning the crowd, he did a quick Jedi concentration technique to remain focused on the task at hand. Such a great place to stealthily attack the senator,' Trevor mused. Soon the sight of the large brown cloak bored the crowd. He found that Shudo had moved off to the side of the room, as he fit in better there, away from the crowd. Trevor turned his vision towards Shudo, and noticed that Shudo nodded towards the senator. Trevor finally found his feet and walked calmly down the stairs towards the senator. Trevor stood with his back towards the senator, and began to mentally catalogue all the faces that he saw. Trevor had an advantage because any who looked at the young Jedi thought he was looking a different way, if they thought he could see at all. He made good use of this during the next three hours. Senator Essada had neatly gathered a small crowd around him, and they seemed to be having a grand old time. Trevor noticed that a couple of the guard-droids were patrolling nearby more often. He also saw the face of a twi'lek pass by with unusual frequency, almost always within earshot of the senator. Trevor worried about this and thought Shudo should know.

He turned his vision towards Master Shudo, his face also moving the same way. When Shudo turned his robe towards him, Trevor moved his head towards the twi'lek, pointing at a possible problem. Shudo and Trevor had worked enough together that they spoke more in motions that with any real words. Shudo nodded back and immediately began to glide slowly towards the side of the room with the twi'lek waiter.

Before realizing it, the Senator moved away from Trevor and headed towards a turbo lift. Trevor, afraid he was going to be left behind, walked purposefully towards the lift and was the last one to squeeze on board. There were five humanoids, not including himself, and two of the senator's battle droids. Trevor was introduced, and he nodded appropriately at the guests. One of the guests, a woman of middle years, looked Trevor up and down, thinking that he wasn't looking. Trevor half-smiled at the woman's attempt at subtlety. The lift entered one of the top floors and opened into a junction of hallways. Trevor walked out, and started investigating the floor. The rest of the group seemed to know where they were going, so Trevor followed along. The corridor opened up to a salon with a table large enough for seven. The droids marched up to either side. Trevor took in the sights and investigated the room for a little while. Food was already sitting there on table and the group proceeded to continue their discussions from downstairs.

Suddenly, his comlink squawked. Trevor felt his spine tingle in apprehension.

"Yes?"

"Trevor, where are you?" Master Shudo's voice wafted from the comlink.

"Master, I am on an upper floor with the senator. Is everything alright?"

"Stay with him, no matter what."

"Certainly, Master. Is something wrong?"

"No, I -- Hold on."

The sound of a lightsaber activating was the last thing Trevor heard, causing his skin to go cold. Trevor looked around the room again, fearing he'd missed something. Trying to remain calm, Trevor took off his cloak, palming his lightsaber for easy access. He didn't want to cause panic amongst the guests, but Shudo's instructions were clear; protect the senator. Essada looked over at the young Jedi, seeing the cloak off, his eyes widened a little. Trevor made a calming motion to Essada, and suddenly the senator's face was a mask of happiness and unconcern. Trevor walked over to Essada and spoke quietly.

"Master Shudo just contacted me. Something is wrong. Nothing to worry about yet, but let me find out more."

The senator placed his hand on Trevor's arm, feigning calm and confidence. "Do what you must, Master Jedi."

Trevor nodded and moved towards a computer console to see if it would give a security status within the building. At first the building's security system tried to refuse access, but then Trevor tried one of the codes he had seen Essada's aides use, and suddenly, a schematic of the floor appeared. He accounted for all six humans, and the two droids. What caught his attention, however, was the turbo lift. It was moving towards their floor. The console showed one, two, four, six shapes walking in formation down the corridor. Odd, thought Trevor.

He walked towards the open door. Essada and his group, for the first time that evening, noticed that Trevor's lightsaber was out, ready for action. He never noticed the two droids lifting their weapons. Standing in the doorway, a familiar marching sound reached his ears. He'd heard that sound just the other day: battle droids!

Activating his lightsaber, Trevor stood defensively in the middle of the doorway as the first droids walked around the corner. The front droids, seeing the Jedi in the doorway, turned to each other.

"Uh oh," the first commented.

"Stick to the new orders: kill the senator," the second reminded.

"I concur."

They immediately fired upon Trevor. He parried the bolts rather easily, and took a step back. One of the ricochets hit the top of the door, causing the emergency blast doors to clang shut automatically. He moved between the other two droids before noticing that they were not firing upon their comrades. Rather, they were aiming their weapons at the senator. Trevor turned, slicing at the nearest droid, and then used the Force to pull the blaster out of the second's hands. The blaster flew through the air and fired instantly when it reached Trevor's hand. The blaster shot hit true, and the droid was hammered directly in the chest. Trevor jumped at it, cutting it from shoulder to hip in one fluid motion with his lightsaber. He then turned to deal with the first; however, the Senator and the rest had jumped to the offensive. The droid managed to punch one of the other men in the face, causing blood to trickle down his cheek. However the combined might of the five humans easily augmented the droid's mechanical strength.

"Out of the way!" Trevor shouted waving his lightsaber above his head. The crowd suddenly dispersed, leaving the droid open for a Jedi attack. Trevor thrust his saber directly into the head of the droid, and it fell over immediately. Trevor sensed the tension of the group as they all turned to see the Jedi with the green lightsaber raised in the classic defensive posture. Trevor scanned the rest of the room. "They will get through that door fairly quick. Grab that blaster and let's get out of here, NOW!" The group ran to the opposite end of the room, where a door led out into another room and a small corridor. One of the women in the group led the way, with Trevor as rear guard. They exited the room, and poured out onto the main corridor. Trevor could immediately discern three options available: he could attempt escape to the turbolift, he could hole-up in the large dining room available, or he could take them out onto the landing platform / patio. It certainly made sense to try the turbolift, but Trevor immediately foresaw danger that way. The dining room represented a closed in area, so the platform won on principle.

"Out onto the platform, now!"

The group moved with alacrity. Trevor stood in the doorway, trying to catch his breath, and calming himself. The last words of Shudo Laan came to him, and he dialed an emergency code into his comlink.

"This is Jedi Padawan Trevor Gul'dan. I am in need immediate transport and support at the Senatorial Reception Center of the Umgul-Plobex Building, floor 394. Senator Essada is under attack. Code 99."

Trevor clicked off the comlink, and heard the marching of feet again. He took a deep breath, waiting for the end to come. 'I shall not let them take the senator while I have breath left,' thought Trevor. A woman gasped in horror as she saw Trevor take a step closer into the hallway. Just at that moment, a reply was heard on the comlink.

"Jedi Gul'dan, transport is thirty seconds away. Hold the fort."

The sudden closing of the doors surprised the droids.

"So, what are we supposed to do now?"

Droid BD7325 reviewed his mission parameter program. "Follow orders. Kill the senator."

"Roger, Commander."

The droids moved out and headed down a small corridor. Their limited intelligence told them that there were only two additional ways out, and the backup plan would work perfectly.

The droids rounded the corner to find themselves faced with a lone Jedi guarding a doorway three meters wide and five meters high. "Not again," one was heard to say.

"Fire!" ordered the commander.

Trevor immediately went into full defensive mode. It was truly the only way to ensure that he would be able to keep the droids at bay until reinforcements arrived.

The first rain of laser fire bounced off his blade, and Trevor's movements were a blur to the people watching him. Trevor used his vision to notice that an older man still had the blaster.

"Know how to use that thing?" Trevor asked calmly as he continued to defend the archway, redirecting fire back at the droids.

"I can try," he croaked out.

"Take your time. I've got them a little busy right now. Fire when you are ready."

The older man, though scared, nodded, and placed the blaster around the corner. He fired down the hallway. His first shot went wide, but the second shot was true. One of the droids went down in a heap, and Trevor knocked out a second shortly thereafter. The droids kept firing down the hall, but none could get through Trevor's whirling defense. Trevor's lightsaber training had dealt with defense foremost-- it was truly an amazing sight to see a Miraluken take on six battle-droids. The older man fired again, knocking down another. By this time, there were only three left, and Trevor advanced towards them.

The droids moved forward a meter or so, continuing to fire. Trevor returned their own fire back to them, knocking one off its feet. At that point, Trevor, sensing an advantage, jumped down the hall, proceeding to slash and parry them to pieces. The crackling of burnt metal and charred wall plaster assailed Trevor's senses. He disengaged his blade as the last droid was destroyed and walked down the corridor to find an open- cockpit shuttlecar already pulling up to the platform.

"Senator! Get everyone on board! Move!" Trevor shouted.

It did not take the group long to enter the shuttle. Trevor's comlink twittered again, and he immediately answered, "Master?"

"Trevor, are you alright?"

"Yes, Master. Fine."

"Did you happen to see six droids come your way?"

"Yes, as a matt--"

"Get out of there! You only have a few seconds!" The voice on the other end sounded frightened.

Trevor turned to the shuttle and shouted for them to get out. "TAKE OFF! MOVE!" The driver, upon hearing the shouts, gunned the engines right away. Trevor ran for the shuttle at the same time, and at the end of the platform, Force-pushed himself off the edge, towards the transport.

However, the exhaustion of battle caused him to lose concentration. Trevor realized almost immediately he was not going to make it using a Force-jump. Instead he reached back for his grappling launcher towards the shuttle. As Trevor was falling past the shuttle on towards the depths of Coruscant, the hook sunk directly into the right wing of the shuttle car. Trevor bounced upwards a bit as the line went taut, relatively safe on the end of the ascension cable. As Trevor adjusted his grip on the cable, he turned his vision towards the floor they just evacuated from. A series of explosions rippled through the floor, heat and smoke emanating from the transparisteel structure outwards. Trevor continued to concentrate on his grip as a wave of heat and concussion of the explosions met the shuttle-car and its precarious hanger-on.

Moments later, the shuttle car arrived at a secured landing platform, first dropping off Trevor, then moved off to unload its passengers. Trevor brushed the dust off his robes as the shuttle touched down. A ripple in the Force alerted Trevor to his Master's approach, but something was definitely different about it this time. He turned around to find Master Shudo Laan walking up, orange and red spots all up and down his tall face. Trevor had rarely seen Shudo look like this. The combination showed that Shudo was feeling a mix of excitement and fear. Master and student looked at one another, and bowed respectfully towards each other. Shudo's coloring changed slowly back to his normal coloring as he spoke.

"Had a busy day, my young Padawan?"

"A little, Master. Could have been worse, couldn't it?"

"True, very true, Trevor," as they both turned to watch Senator Essada and his party enter a diplomatic convoy. The older man that had assisted him walked over, and handed Trevor his Jedi robes.

"I thought you might be needing this, sir, so I grabbed it as we ran out."

Trevor bowed towards the man, "Thank you, sir. I am in your debt."

"No," the man said, "We are in yours," and with that walked towards the shuttle.

"You were able to defeat all the droids, Padawan?" Shudo Laan asked in a peculiar way.

"No, Master. I needed help from them. Something escaped my notice that should not have. This was a very valuable lesson, Master."

"It was not my intention to place you in danger, Trevor. But your experiences have shown you a reserve of confidence that you didn't know existed before, I think. Come, we have an appointment to keep."

"Master, how did someone slice into the droid-control signal?" Trevor asked. "Senator Essada said it was foolproof."

Shudo's face took on a yellow-striped pattern as he reached into his robes and withdrew a damaged custom-built signal-interrupter pack. It looked like it contained several black-market, military-grade components, and one end of it had been sliced off. "Remember Trevor, nothing is foolproof to a talented fool."

Trevor grinned and nodded. "And what about the senator?"

"Not to worry, his bodyguard contingent has just arrived. We have been relieved. Come, now, my young apprentice."

Early morning sunshine lit the Jedi Council chambers. Shudo Laan had been speaking for a few minutes to Masters Yoda, Plo Koon, Depa Bilaba, Adi Gallia, and Ki-Adi-Mundi. The chambers were very empty at this time, but Trevor always felt warmth in his heart in this room. So many memories to draw on, so many experiences yet to be had.

"It would seem that my young Padawan dispatched the eight droids on his own. I had some issues with the twi'lek controlling the droids, but Trevor was able to disable them while keeping the senator completely protected."

Master Yoda turned to Trevor, and spoke.

"Well you did, young padawan. Ready might you be for greater tests, yes? Keep an eye on you, we will. More work I see in the near future for you, Trevor Gul'dan. Be mindful of the lessons learned today. Helpful they may be, in the future."

Trevor rarely spoke to the Council these days. He'd had Master Yoda as a teacher years before Shuda Laan, and his respect for Yoda was immeasurable. Trevor could not help but smile at Yoda's approving gaze.

"Thank you, Master Yoda. It would seem that the knowledge passed from you to Master Shudo has finally found its way into my stubborn head." Trevor broke out in wide grin, and even Yoda couldn't help smiling a little at Trevor.

"Recovered from your fear, you have. Glad I am that you have come full circle," Yoda responded. Yoda got up from his chair and walked towards Trevor. Trevor immediately crouched on one knee to be face to face with the powerful Jedi.

"More tasks there will be, young Padawan. Remember the Code, serve you well, it will." Yoda patted Trevor's arm, causing glowing warmth to flow around Trevor. Trevor's arm trembled slightly with emotion, and Yoda immediately winked at the young Padawan. "More we will hear from this one, will we not, Master Shudo?"

"It is possible, Master, provided he can continue to keep his wits about him," responded the tall Jedi, turning various shades of yellow. Trevor and Shudo bowed deeply to Master Yoda and the Council. With that, Shudo Laan escorted Trevor out of the Chamber.

Back at his room, Trevor felt a slight flutter in the Force. He turned to his mentor and teacher, and noticed him staring at him. Orange streaks were all over his skin. Trevor blushed, and for the first time in nearly a month, felt ready to attempt a surprise for his master. _'I must start working on my own lightsaber as soon as I have some extra time,'_ he thought.


	2. Chapter 2

THE CRYSTAL CAVE OF ILUM

The Coruscant moons were blanketed by thunderclouds for the first time in a month. Storms on Coruscant were an infrequent occurrence due to the weather control systems in place. However, since no system was ever truly perfect, storms cropped up from time to time on the planet-city. 'Sure. Tonight just happens to have a storm over the Jedi Temple,' Trevor noted. It had been a rough couple of weeks for the Miraluka Jedi padawan. Master Shudo Laan had changed his training schedule to include diplomatic situations, negotiations, and a few other topics that a Jedi might need in various missions. Trevor had distinguished himself during their last mission guarding Senator Oron Essada from Umgul, negating the need for the structured lightsaber training he was normally involved with. These new lessons were certainly interesting, if given enough time to study and understand them; however Master Shudo required the answers on the fly rather than through careful study as Trevor preferred. Shudo explained the nuances of negotiations and required Trevor to know the answers five seconds after the question. It was certainly a different task, and Trevor worked hard since the change, taking extra studying time at the Jedi Archives each night, trying to get ahead. He even used his enhanced Jedi senses to gauge what the correct answer should be. Trevor knew Master Shudo was trying to get something into his head, and figured that this would keep Trevor in balance.

The Archive's chronometer showed 9:15 PM. Trevor's studying had caused him to miss dinner for a third time that week. His friends had been giving Trevor some grief over the missed meals, but it was something they all did. Many of his clan, students placed together upon arrival at the Jedi Temple, usually dined with each other as a way of having time away from their instructors, and to foster friendships, very similar to a family unit. Since the change to his training schedule, any extra study time was necessary to complete his assignments and Trevor felt that his friends were getting the short end of the stick. Trevor stretched, gazing out the windows, using his Force-sight to view the cityscape. Lightning flashed across the sky, causing Trevor to start at the sudden rumble of thunder from outside the window. Trevor tidied up his files and datapads, returned his reference material to Madame Jocasta Nu and headed to the nearest cafeteria where he hoped there would still be some morsels lying around. He exited the Archives into the central stairway and turbolift center. He walked towards the nearest lift and punched the call button. As the doors opened, Trevor was surprised to see Master Shudo standing inside, waiting, it seemed, for him to enter.

"Good evening, Master." Trevor acknowledged.

"Good evening, Trevor. Been studying hard?" queried the tall Jedi Master.

"Yes, I have. Your assignment on the treaty between the early Rodian refugees and the Jawas on Tatooine is exceedingly difficult to decipher. Especially since you set the archives to ban me from referencing any interspecies treaties and associated texts."

"Yes..." Shudo seemed to be involved with another thought.

"Credit for your thoughts, Master?" Trevor inquired.

The turbolift stopped and both exited into the main cafeteria. They moved to one side of the hall, out of earshot from anyone else. Shudo leaned forward to Trevor, and whispered, "I am going on a mission. It will take me away from Coruscant for up to two weeks. There is a trade issue between the Verpines and the Kubaz."

The species were familiar to Trevor from his studies. The Kubaz were a humanoid race with a head shaped similar to an anteater and ate insects. The Verpine were an insectoid race known for their technological innovations.

"The Verpine recently intercepted a suspicious Kubaz freighter carrying rare meats into Huttspace," Shudo explained, shaking his head slightly. "Unfortunately, several of the meats bear a disturbing resemblance to some missing Verpine."

Trevor winced and nodded to Shudo in acknowledgement of the situation. "When do we leave, Master?" Trevor quipped.

"Not we, Trevor, just myself. I leave in a few minutes on the _Crystal Phoenix_. I have been told by the other instructors and by the night librarians at the Archives that you have been working overtime with your studies to the detriment of your spare time. I am granting you a two-week reprieve from your training and studies. I trust your judgment, Trevor, and expect that you won't get into too much trouble while I am gone?" Shudo's coloring changed to a slight shade of yellow.

"Master," Trevor exaggerated, "Me? Get into trouble?" He smiled at his master, and shook his head no in all honesty. "Would you like me to walk with you to the landing platform?"

Shudo's head turned slightly in surprise. "I don't want to take you away from anything."

"It would be my pleasure, Master Shudo."

Trevor watched the Jedi Cruiser _Crystal Phoenix_ depart from the Jedi Temple. This landing bay was certainly bigger than the one Senator Essada had arrived in almost three weeks ago. The rusty-red diplomatic cruiser was out in the traffic pattern within moments and Trevor breathed a large sigh. He was almost not sure what he should do next. 'Almost', he snickered. As the shuttle reached the edge of Trevor's sight, Trevor turned around and headed back to his room. He quickly changed his clothing to something a bit more unobtrusive, casual. He knew exactly where he wanted to go.

The Outrider was a sports bar type establishment in one of the many commercial sectors of Coruscant's lower levels. There was a good sized crowd in the place tonight. Trevor knew that many people might consider robbing him blind, and a couple tried. Trevor moved away just in time, and was able to get through the crowded sections with relative ease. The lively noise of the place prompted Trevor to relax and he immediately sidled up to the bar, ordering a drink. The place had wall-size vidscreens that showed plenty of ongoing sporting events across the galaxy. Trevor watched two screens in particular; one showing a hair-raising pod race on Malastare, while another showed a more subdued game of Nuna-ball.

The rest of the night went uneventful, as Trevor hoped it would. Watching the denizens of the establishment drink themselves into silliness relaxed Trevor and got him thinking about a task that he wanted to do since the incident with Senator Essada. Trevor went over in his mind all the parts and configurations a few dozen times. A ruckus was starting in one corner of the bar, and Trevor watched with keen interest, walking himself through an encounter like this, but with different outcomes, with different people. Trevor swallowed the rest of his drink. The alcohol flowed down his throat similar to a laser blast, but not so bad as to completely inebriate him. The Archives should have most of what he needed. 'Since I have some time, might as well make the best of it,' he thought. 'Tomorrow is certainly early enough to start.' Trevor paid his bill, and walked out of the bar. A few of the patrons noticed that the tall man with the blindfold had a big grin on his face.

The Archives had a great deal of information on lightsabers and their construction. The vaulted hallways and the blue glow of the data pads lit up the entire main room. There were even special sections on the histories of lightsabers, how they were used, and even where they were constructed. It would seem that every Jedi in the history of the galaxy had their saber construction mapped out, laid out, and stored in the Archives. With the number of Jedi across the galaxy and throughout the millennias-long history of the order, it was a wonder that there was room for any other information inside the Archives at all.

Trevor walked up and down the shelves for days, researching each part, trying to sense if the current part would fit, and where. He noticed that Mace Windu's saber, along with Shudo's saber, were contained within the most recent additions to the Archives. Trevor was bewildered by the variety of components and methods used in the construction process. It was certainly frustrating when one piece seemed as if it would fit but when he found another, the first did not seem like it would work after all. He would find third part, only to find another problem with either the first or second. Trevor wondered after the first week if he was ever going to get his saber finished. He only catalogued three parts he needed and felt would fit into his saber. It just was not going his way.

Halfway through the second week, Trevor had most of the parts he needed. Surprisingly, most of the parts were found from local Temple sources. The machine shop and the hanger bay had most of the simple parts he needed. The rest of the week was spent searching for the more difficult parts. The magnetic stabilizing ring, the power emission shroud, and the ring clip were probably the easiest parts to acquire. Just about every Jedi knew where to get them. The hardest parts, however, were the power field conductor-shell, the diatium power cell, and the energy modulation circuits. The power cell in particular was going to be a bit difficult. Trevor knew he needed to get the parts, but could not find any information in the Jedi Archives. Trevor smiled as he realized that not all the parts would be listed in the archives. He immediately went to his computer console and typed up the parts he needed. He found three vendors who would have the remaining things. Knowing where they were was the biggest thrill of his life. He still had some work to do before completing his first lightsaber. He hoped to get started after Master Shudo got back. Trevor stretched and yawned. He had been working for nearly a fortnight on this project and his vision was extremely tired. After dozing off in his chair, Trevor realized that he had not had any real sleep in nearly three days. He decided to turn in early, and get started late.

The communicator twittered loudly, awaking Trevor immediately. He jumped from his bed, moving towards the communication console. A message was waiting for him. Trevor read the message from Shudo with anticipation. However, he was shocked as much as surprised.

The message read: _Trevor, please procure the following items within the next 24 hours: magnetic stabilizing ring with ring-tuning flange, power emission shroud, polarized power arc tip, fine-control harmonics adjuster, activation plate, safety shutoff/activation switch, energy modulation circuits, cycling field energizers, 13K-P recharge socket, power conduit, bi-polar power housing, paired adjustable power actuators, high-yield power lens mount, cylindrical energy gate assembly, power field conductor-shell with vortex rings, inert power insulator matrix, diatium power cell, quick-release ring-clip, and reinforced handgrip. Pack these items with your standard field gear and prepare for departure from the Jedi-Temple at 09:00 tomorrow._

Trevor shook with excitement. He had just about 24 hours to gather the final pieces of his saber! He had this exact list ready to go. It was amazing. 'Master Shudo must be following my progress. How does he do that?' Trevor wondered. 'No matter. I have to get these parts, quick. Good thing I already had my list of where to find them.'

The last supply shop on Trevor's list was deep in the center of one of Coruscant's lower-level merchant districts. This shopkeeper only sold through personal contact, so Trevor had put on his Jedi robes to travel. He knew that he would not be accosted as much, but there were still people who would be devious enough to cheat a Jedi. He would at least blend in better with the crowds in the lower levels, as a number of people wore brown robes such as his. The shop was surprisingly clean, and well tended. The floors were squeaky clean as Trevor's feet skittered across the tiles. The shopkeeper, a snaggle-toothed Snivvian, noticed Trevor and welcomed him to the store.

"Welcome to my shop, Master Jedi. It is rare that someone from your order visits. How can I help you today?"

"Sir, I am looking for a diatium power cell. I understand from the ads you run that you have such a device?"

"Yes, I do, as a matter of fact." The shopkeeper walked down the counter, towards a locked display case of different power supplies. "Let me see… Ah! Here it is. Just the best type of power supply you can have. And for only 120 credits."

Trevor looked at the shopkeeper, surprised to find that the power supply he requested was that much. He had taken some time to estimate how much it would take to purchase all of his supplies and the power supply was in his estimate at 110 credits. He definitely had the credits, but on principle, he felt that he was getting the raw end. Knowing that trade was the shopkeeper's life, he did not want to make too big of a stink.

"Well, sir, I wasn't expecting to pay that much, but I'd be willing to pay 110 credits."

The shopkeeper paused a moment, taking a second look at Trevor's Jedi robes and considering.

"Tell you what. I will sell it to you for the 110 credits, and you tell me how it works. This is a newer item for me, and no one has bought it yet. Try it out, and let me know how it works for you. Perhaps I could procure some more if there was a need for them at the temple…"

Trevor thought about this. He seemed genuine in his appeal, so Trevor took him at face value. "If this power supply works the way I expect it to, I will let my friends know that they can trust this shop for their parts in the future."

The shopkeeper's eyes widened happily at his good fortune. "Master Jedi, I thank you."

"No, sir. It will be I who thank you, if this power supply performs well enough."

With that, Trevor strode off, back towards his room to finish packing for his trip.

The _Crystal Phoenix_ was on final approach when Trevor walked into the hanger bay. It had been a good night for Trevor. He had most of his parts together and had been up most of the night putting the parts together. He had soldered most of the components last night and was nearly ready. He wanted to run right up to Shudo and show him, but pride was not something that was encouraged as a part of Jedi training. Trevor waited as patiently as possible for the _Crystal Phoenix_ to land. Even before the maneuvering jets finished firing, the landing door was open and Shudo emerged. Trevor noticed right away that Shudo was not in a mood to talk. Shudo walked resolutely towards the main turbolift, one reserved for direct transportation to the Jedi Council. Trevor moved slowly away from the wall towards Shudo. Shudo noticed Trevor and motioned him over.

"Well, my young padawan, how has your week been?"

"It has been a good two weeks, Master. I have been doing some…studying during my time. What is the matter, Master?"

"Not now, Trevor. I need to visit with the Council. Do you have all the items on that list I sent you?"

"Yes, Master. I have the components, and it is nearly complete."

That stopped Shudo in his tracks. He turned towards Trevor, bright yellow and orange streaks running through his crest. Trevor noticed a gleam in Shudo's eye. "Well then, gather your equipment, and load it onto the shuttle. We leave in an hour."

Now it was Trevor's turn to stop in his tracks. "An hour? I will replenish the ship and get my equipment. Would we be needing the Whitecloak, Master?"

"A very good idea, Trevor. We may very well need it. I am going to the Council chambers. I should be back in approximately one hour."

"Very good, Master." Trevor watched Shudo walk towards the lifts. He noticed that Shudo's robes were tattered and a few spots had been burned through. It seemed that Shudo even had a bit of a limp, but that could not be. Master Shudo was very good with a lightsaber. He had never seen him get hit or even singed by a blaster bolt. Trevor shook his head and headed towards the controller droid, requesting that the ship be completely restocked in one hour, and any damage repaired. The droid acknowledged him, and Trevor hurried to gather his tools and the parts to his lightsaber.

After stowing his equipment in his quarters, Trevor headed towards the secondary bridge, prepping the ship for launch, Master Shudo walked towards the shuttle. Shudo wore newer robes and he seemed to be walking into the shuttle with a faster gait. He went immediately to the main bridge, and motioned for the astromech droid, designated R2-E5, to activate the main thrusters and depart the Temple. Trevor came down and sat with his Master and they talked for a few minutes about various minor things, but just sitting relaxedly with his padawan seemed to sooth Shudo's tense demeanor.

As the Crystal Phoenix cleared the atmosphere of Coruscant, Trevor noticed that Shudo reached into his robes, pulling out a datapad with symbols on it that Trevor had never seen before. He got a quick look at it and noticed that was simply labeled RESTRICTED ACCESS: FOR USE WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE JEDI COUNCIL. Trevor thought that was odd. 'Wonder where we are going,' he mused.

Shudo turned to Trevor and smiled. "Watching again, my young padawan."

"Sorry, Master. Curiosity, you know."

"Keep your eyes to yourself, Trevor."

"But I don't have any eyes, Master," Trevor said innocently.

Tried to give Trevor a stern look but couldn't hide the humorous yellow tint on his skin. "Just for your information, our destination is five days away; the planet Ilum."

Ilum was one of the closest secrets the Jedi Council kept. Trevor thought that it might even be the most secure location in the entire universe. No one went to Ilum without the express permission of the Jedi Council. Only those Jedi padawans, Knights, and Masters alike had to have a very good reason to go, and the Council regulated who traveled to this planet. This would be Trevor's first trip, but hopefully not his last.

Shudo motioned Trevor out of the cockpit, towards the back of the Crystal Phoenix. Shudo sat down in the lounge and motioned for Trevor to do the same.

"Trevor, when we get to Ilum, you will need to prepare yourself. You will be traveling to the Crystal Cave of Ilum, where the Jedi have been gathering adegan crystals and attuning them to the Force to power their lightsabers. You will need to remember two things when you go down onto the planet. One, the Force will show you where your crystals are if you let it, and second, you will have to deal with the visions. You may find yourself facing your worst fears, my Padawan. Be prepared for anything. I have taught you a great deal and I believe that you are ready for this task."

Trevor and Shudo worked on more lessons during the trip, causing the time to pass quickly. As the cruiser came out of hyperspace, the planet filled up the viewscreen completely. The Crystal Phoenix took a polar orbit around the planet. Trevor looked at the planet, wondering where the Caves were located. Even if he attempted it, his Force vision could not penetrate the atmosphere. Trevor took a deep breath, turned towards Shudo Laan, and waited for a moment. They shared a moment of silence, understanding that a very large step was being taken today, and both knowing that both might be changed by the events of next few days. Trevor bowed to Shudo, turned and walked out with purpose toward his room. He gathered his tools and his lightsaber components, placing all in a durasteel case. He looked around the room, gathered his remaining belongings, and departed. Passing through the central lounge again, Trevor climbed the retractable access ladder and traversed the narrow airlock in the ceiling. The direction of the artificial gravity reversed itself as Trevor slipped into the cockpit of the Whitecloak fighter mounded upside-down to the Crystal Phoenix's dorsal docking array. E-five had the fighter prepped for take-off by the time Trevor finally got adjusted. He sealed the canopy, detached the ship and guided it towards the planet.

"Trevor, contact me when you arrive planet-side," Shudo's voice came over the comlink.

"Certainly, Master."

"May the Force be with you."

"May the Force be with you, Master Shudo."

Trevor maneuvered his fighter through the atmosphere. Once he entered the atmosphere, he knew he should have brought E5 along. Unexpected atmospheric disturbances caused the fighter to pitch and yaw uncontrollably. Trevor wrenched the stick opposite of the direction the atmosphere was pushing the fighter, but to no avail. Trevor's brow grew wet with sweat very quickly. His concentration faltered more often than he would want to admit as the snowy ground continued to get larger in his viewport. He kept working the controls, trying to right the ship. Unfortunately, the ship continued to tilt and pitch with each bout of turbulence, causing Trevor to work harder and harder to regain control. The ground loomed ever closer, causing an involuntary tremor to shake his body. There was no more time. Trevor pulled the ejection handle, and a sudden gale force wind whipped at his face as his seat lifted clear of the ship on miniature repulsor-drives. Trevor wrapped his all-weather cloak around his face, protecting it from the bitter wind and blinding snow.

The fighter flew towards a cliff and exploded a mere hundred meters from Trevor's location. He could feel the intense heat even so far away, the force of the blast rocking his ejection seat as it drifted groundward. Trevor mourned the loss of a Jedi Temple ship, but only for a few moments. His knowledge of the planet was limited to what he'd learned on the trip over. The icy world contained very little life and, according to the lessons given by Shudo before departing, gorgodons were the largest creatures on the planet. Trevor did not need to look too hard around him before the lessons hit home. Here he was on an ice world, with no ship to get him off-world, and only the parts to his new lightsaber and the Jedi supplies stored in his utility belt. Trevor shuddered, thinking of things that might or might not be there. He tucked his cloak closer to his body, it's inner insulating layers able to withstand both searing heat and bitter cold.

He gathered his belongings and started walking towards the nearest mountain peak. The increased range of Trevor's Force-sight was not truly helping him in the seemingly endless expanse of snow and rock, so he concentrated on viewing the Force-energy in the region. His vision shifted, revealing the presence of patches of rugged lichen and small lifeforms dwelling under the ice. Sensing the fading presence of larger life-forms, Trevor could see the trails left behind by predators and migrating herd creatures, long since obscured to regular vision by drifting snow. One such path led up the nearby mountainside, leading him towards a cave that was emitting so much raw Force energy it nearly blinded him.

'Well, I guess that's where I have to go,' thought Trevor. He hitched up his gear, got it comfortable, and headed out. The snow was more of a nuisance than anything to Trevor. There was enough hard pack underneath to allow Trevor to walk atop of it. He continued to walk for a few hours. As he neared the base of the mountain, he noticed that there were tracks of a very large creature crossing his path. The tracks seemed to be fresh, but he could not tell how old they really were. Suddenly, the echo of a distant roar caught his ear. It sounded like something was chasing a meal, and Trevor certainly did not want to be that meal. He continued on towards the peak, wondering what made those kinds of tracks.

Trevor finally made it to the edge of the trail. Unfortunately for him, it ended at the bottom of a sheer rock face. The Force-saturated cavern was fifty meters straight up from where he stood. Trevor didn't have enough cable to reach the cave. He thought about scaling the wall, but figured he'd been out of touch from Shudo for long enough. 'Might be a way to get up that Shudo would let me know,' he thought.

Trevor grabbed his comlink off his utility belt and looked up the cliff, waiting for Shudo to respond. The cliff seemed to have a few handholds, but nothing that would support his weight.

"Trevor, is everything all right?"

"Yes, Master. Thank you."

"Had a little trouble landing?"

Trevor could almost see the colors on Shudo's crest changing colors as they spoke.

"You might say that, Master. I am sorry for the rough landing."

"I'm glad you're alright. You're very close to the Crystal Caves. Once you arrive we will be out of communication, so you will need to be careful."

"Certainly Master. I'm going to try getting up the mountain now.

"Good luck, padawan. Contact me upon your exit from the cave."

Trevor signed off, placed the comlink back onto his belt, and turned back towards the cliff. Suddenly, Trevor felt a disturbance and turned his vision behind him. Trying to sneak up behind Trevor was a hulking creature, much larger than even Trevor's towering master. It had a vaguely reptilian appearance, with thick blubbery skin, massive tusk-like fangs, and a distinct look of hunger in its eyes. Trevor didn't even hesitate; he gathered the Force within himself and jumped straight up to the cave in a single leap. From his high vantage point, Trevor could clearly appreciate the creature's huge size. It was nearly five meters tall and easily ten meters long. Its huge tusks might have been as much as a half-meter long. As Trevor and the creature regarded each other from their new positions, it gave off a very loud bellow, causing small rocks and dirt to fall down around him. The creature continued to pace the base of the cliff, but was unable to climb up the sheer face. Trevor turned towards the interior of the cave.

The entrance to the Crystal Cave was darkened, but Trevor's Force-sight allowed him to move very easily in the darkness. The icy entrance echoed his footsteps for over fifteen minutes. The tunnel meandered mostly downward in a zigzag motion. As Trevor made a corner, a dim light source illuminated the hallway. To Trevor's amazement, it was the walls themselves giving off the illumination. Trevor looked more closely and realized that the walls were covered floor-to-ceiling with intricate hieroglyphic-style carvings of figures, scenes and events. Some of the scenes and figures looked strangely familiar to Trevor, though he didn't quite recognize them in this strange environment. Suddenly Trevor's Jedi training clicked into place as he realized that these were images from the ancient history of the Jedi Order. Trevor walked through the winding tunnels, admiring the detail of the intricate designs. His excitement continued to mount as he recognized various important historical figures and battles. After an hour's time of awed wandering, Trevor realized that there was truly no way to review all of the Jedi history in one stretch. Recognizing the true task at hand, Trevor wrenched his vision away from the walls of the caves. As he did so, he noticed that the ground was littered with veins of raw crystals. There were crystals of all shapes and sizes. Trevor realized that the glowing wall carvings were made of the same material, somehow energized by the Force to glow in the deep darkness. He walked around the caves for a while more, this time looking for the right set of crystals to make his saber special; for he did not want the traditional colors of blue or green. Master Windu's saber was unique in that it had a purple hue to it, but Trevor wanted his to be truly unique. The only problem: finding the right crystals for it.

"Where are they!"

His shout echoed through the caves, causing Trevor to start at his own voice. He'd been after his crystals for three days, and he felt he was no closer to finding them. He had plenty of provisions with him to get him through two weeks, but that was not the point. This was a test of his own making and he certainly did not want to fail. Trevor sat down on the ground and bowed his head in near defeat. His mind was a jumbled mess as he started thinking about Shudo, how he became a padawan nearly sixteen years ago, and his memories of his childhood at the Temple, wanting to be a Jedi. Trevor closed his vision to the caves and laughed at himself. The best way to find crystals for his lightsaber lay in his training. He let the Force flow through his body, calming himself to allow the caves and the Force to guide him to where his crystals were located.

After a brief period of time, Trevor opened his vision and looked around the room. For some reason, the room seemed different to him. A small surge in the flow of the Force focused Trevor toward a small hole near the floor of the rear wall. Trevor moved his vision closer to the opening. It was big enough to fit a hand into, so Trevor crawled over, reached his hand in, and grabbed three crystals. He pulled them out, examining them closely and feeling that these crystals would be perfect. They were as clear as transparisteel, yet smoother than silk. Trevor trembled with excitement, as he instinctively knew that these crystals would produce his dream saber.

He took out his tools and began the final steps to completing the lightsaber. With all the parts that he was able to scrape together, there remained only three pieces; the power cell, the crystal chamber and the electronics package. The crystals needed to be aligned properly for a lightsaber to work. If the crystals are not aligned properly the saber would either simply fail to work and require further alignment, or it would explode, most likely injuring or killing Trevor in the process. Trevor got right to work on the alignment of the crystals. However, his excitement overrode his basic desire to do the right thing. After several hours of work, the crystals were not aligning properly and Trevor knew it. He kept rushing forward to get it done and still there was no alignment.

Trevor took a few moments rest and looked at the tools and the parts. Wondering how to do this, he sat back and continued to think about it. As he sat there, his eyes closed of their own volition, causing Trevor to fall instinctively into a Jedi trance.

Trevor returned to conscious awareness nearly a week later. He had been through few such trances in his training and he was still surprised at the way he now saw things with a dramatically clearer view and a renewed determination. The pieces and the crystals seemed to show a faint, momentary glow. At least Trevor thought so. He picked up the pieces and aligned his crystals within the handle of his saber. The crystals fit right away into their mounts and Trevor felt that this was the correct way for the crystals to be aligned. He fastened the handle together and reviewed the construction again in his mind. Everything should have been in place, but he knew that he needed to make sure. Closing his vision, he pressed the button to activate his lightsaber. The sound of the igniting blade made Trevor exhale loudly. The Jedi weapon felt like an extension to his arm. If anyone else had seen this saber, Trevor knew that the pure white color of the blade would have drawn a gasp of surprise. He hoped that like Master Windu's violet blade, his own weapon would find a place in the histories of Jedi.

Trevor disengaged the blade and gathered his tools together. As the tools were put away onto his belt, a sudden howl stopped Trevor in his movements. The howling continued and Trevor shook with apprehension. Trevor was certain that the howling came from a vorkskyr, a creature native to the planet Myrkr which used the Force to hunt its prey. Trevor had met them before on an earlier mission, but at that time he had been debilitated by the Force-dampening ability of Myrkr's other notorious species, the ysalamiri. Trevor grabbed his new lightsaber but did not activate it. The howling continued as Trevor followed the sound down a corridor near where he finished his saber. He walked to a junction of four corridors. The howls were surrounding Trevor now. He ignited his lightsaber and the shadows of vornskyrs instantly seemed to be walking within the wall pictures. Trevor shivered at the surreal sight. As he watched, the four vornskyr shadows coalesced into the silhouette of a tall, alien. The figure was clad in the long, black robes of an ancient Sith warrior, with a jumble of twisted horns and trailing tentacles framing his glowing, hate-filled eyes. The figure walked out from the wall, stepping with unsettling ease from the two-dimensional realm of the carvings and into the three-dimensional space of the tunnel. With a flare of red, it activated its lightsaber.

"Who are you?" Trevor asked, barely managing to keep his voice steady.

The warrior smiled a humorless smile. "I am your death, Trevor Gul'dan."

Trevor's insides felt like jelly. This figure was a Sith, of that he had no doubt. However, something just did not feel right about it. Trevor did a quick calming mantra going over the Jedi Code in his mind.

"There is no death, Sith. There is only the Force." Trevor retorted, reciting the Jedi Code.

The Sith lunged, but Trevor was able to block it immediately. Trevor responded to the Sith's attack with a slash at the waist, but it was also blocked. The Sith smiled silently at Trevor, trying to unnerve him, but Trevor kept his composure and waited for the next attack. A rapid thrust to the midsection nearly caught Trevor off guard, but he jumped back out of harm's way. A quick riposte cause the Sith to jump back as well.

The combatants circled one another, looking for holes in each other's defenses. They each attacked, defended and attacked again, back and forth for several minutes. Each one got a good slash at the other, but neither could gain any real advantage. The battle lasted for a few minutes more, with Trevor gaining confidence as the encounter continued. As Trevor blocked a slash from the Sith, he saw an opening. He took his lightsaber into a defensive posture, causing the Sith to smile and get into an attacking position. However, Trevor immediately changed into an offensive stance, slashing at the Sith's head. The weapon should have cleanly cut off the head; instead the Sith's form dissipated, leaving only a Miraluka child standing in front of Trevor.

Trevor disengaged his lightsaber and regarded the child intently, startled by the sudden transformation.

"What are you, child?"

The child turned his head up to Trevor. "I am your birth and your death. I am the beginning and the end."

Trevor listened to the child, but did not comprehend what was being said. "What do you mean? Do I know you?"

The child walked backwards towards the wall.

"Wait! I need more!" Trevor reached out to the child, but the child merged with the wall like a shadow passing into darkness. The entire hallway went dark; even Trevor's Force sight could not penetrate the darkness. A short while later, the walls began to glow again. Trevor shook as if coming out of a dream.

'Master Shudo mentioned that I would have visions' he thought. 'Was this what he was talking about? What does it mean?' Trevor had too many questions and not enough answers.

The return to the cave's entrance was a quicker journey than it had been going in. The wind and sun washed a smile upon Trevor's face. Trevor felt rejuvenated, especially after being underground for nearly ten days. It was almost as if he was reborn, the connection between himself, the universe and the Force felt stronger than ever. 'I will be more prepared for what lies in store next time,' he thought. He looked ahead for a path down the cliff, but was stymied by that puzzle.

Trevor's comlink went off, and he immediately answered.

"Yes, Master Shudo."

"Trevor. Things have gone well."

"Very well, Master. I have completed my task here."

"I am glad to hear it, my young padawan. We will talk more upon your return to the ship. Are you ready to come back?"

Trevor seemed perplexed by the comment, but responded affirmatively to the question nonetheless.

"I am sending someone down to get you. Stay where you are."

"Master, I plan on doing nothing else." Trevor's sly grin crept onto his face, and he couldn't help but be jolly at this time, even knowing that his Jedi Whitecloak was destroyed.

Shortly the sounds of another Whitecloak fighter could be heard above the wind. Trevor looked up and saw the ship veering left, right, down, and up in a precise, almost mechanical path. He thought that was strange, until the ship got closer and closer. Suddenly, Trevor laughed out loud. In the retrofitted cockpit, R2-E5 was piloting the ship through the rough winds of Ilum. E-Five hovered the craft a mere two meters from the edge of the cliff to allow Trevor to jump on board. The canopy came down, and E-five's screen-display asked if Trevor wanted to take the ship back into orbit. Though the thought was intriguing, Trevor did not want to crash another ship, so he motioned for E-five to take them home. E-five whistled in acknowledgement and proceeded to fly back to the _Crystal Phoenix_ without incident. After docking with the _Phoenix_, Trevor and E-Five departed the Whitecloak and climbed back into the transport. Shudo was waiting for them in the main bridge area.

"Padawan, tell me of your mission." Shudo began.

Trevor began by handing his new lightsaber to his master. Shudo gracefully took the saber and immediately ignited the blade. The white light of the blade shown in Shudo's face, and his eyes were glistening in surprise. The crest on Shudo's head changed to a bright yellow and purple spotted scheme. Shudo waved the blade around, careful not to hit anything.

"A good blade, Trevor. A very good blade."

Trevor bowed to his master in acknowledgement, knowing Shudo was more than proud of his newest padawan. Trevor hoped that he would continue to show that he was ready for nearly anything.

The _Crystal Phoenix_'s communications panel suddenly flashed, causing Shudo and Trevor to start suddenly. Shudo took the console and entered in his code. A mission briefing displayed on the vidscreen.

Mission Profile

Assigned Jedi: Master Shudo Laan and Trevor Gul'dan

Location:City of Aldara, Alderaan, Core Region

Primary Objective:Mediate Tokolai / Techno-Union diplomatic Conference

Secondary Objective:Investigate criminal disturbances in Aldera Museum District.

Shudo turned to Trevor. "Ready?"

PAGE 20


	3. Chapter 3

SHADOWS OF THE PAST

The stars coalesced from streaking lines to small dots in the main view screen as the _Crystal Phoenix_ entered the Alderaan system. Trevor and Shudo entered the main bridge just as the Alderaan traffic controller contacted the _Phoenix_ with landing instructions. The master/padawan pair had only spent a few hours in Coruscant orbit, refilling depleted supplies. They immediately departed for Alderaan heading for a diplomatic mission. A priority message was directed to the _Phoenix_ as soon as it broke from hyperspace. The mission was based on two distinct parts. The primary objective was to mediate a dispute between the Gotal and the Techno-Union. A diplomatic conference was to take place on Alderaan. The Jedi Council felt that a pair of Jedi would help to ease any disagreements that might crop up. Shudo had accepted the assignment to see how much Trevor had learned during his studies directly before leaving for Ilum. Shudo turned, facing his padawan.

"This mission will be most difficult. The Gotal from Antar 4 are, as you may remember, are extremely sensitive to electromagnetic fields. The Techno-Union is a race of near-machines. The fact that they are even meeting together could be an exercise in diplomatic dynamics. Your studies are not complete, Padawan, until you apply what you have learned."

"Master, it amazes me how well you can read me. Am I that transparent?"

"No, Trevor, but I remember completing my first lightsaber and the thrill surrounding the successful completion of your own." Shudo took a deep breath. "We have time prior to the conference, Trevor. Why don't you take the day to look around the city? You have never been to Alderaan, correct?"

"No, Master. I have not."

"There are many different sights to see. You have one whole day to take in as much as possible. Please return to the Alderaan Conference Center by 11:00 am, local time. If you need me, I can be reached on the ship."

Trevor set his chronometer to the local time, nodding at Shudo's instructions. He took the time to find out orient himself to the layout of the Museum District of Aldera, which was near where the _Phoenix_ had just been cleared to land. A short walk from the spaceport, Trevor felt that the exercise would do him some good. Nearly six days in the _Phoenix_ was fine, but fresh air was still the best to get rid of travel fatigue. There was also another location that Trevor felt he just had to try, just once.

The morning dew was still on the grasses of an Alderanian common as Trevor walked through towards the University Complex. The section that Shudo and Trevor had landed was near the largest university complexes and medical schools in the Core Region. The planet surprisingly was very clean and reportedly had very little crime. The shops along the edge of the common did not have the hectic bustle that Trevor had experienced on Coruscant. Here the vendors did not yell or badger the customers. Instead, they communicated in soft tones and were extremely pleasant. Trevor talked to a few of them in regards to their wares, but did not purchase anything. Not that anything was not interesting; he just did not want to spend any money on trinkets.

As Trevor walked through the district, he felt extremely at ease. Trevor breathed the clean air around him and marveled at the smooth architecture around him. Everywhere he looked, curves and lines merged together in a flowing arcs and gentle waves. He was not an architect, but he understood the beauty of the buildings. The city was a part of the environment, not sprawling like Coruscant, but a part of the planet. Trevor had never felt freer. He continued to walk the streets of Alderaan, noting where he was in relation to his first destination: a casino. Now Trevor was not big on gambling, but there were days when he felt that his luck was good. He never used the Force to affect the outcome, for that would be cheating and using the Force for self-benefit. He walked into the casino, and immediately began to feel keyed up. He looked around the room, and noticed that a droid seemed to be working at one of the gambling tables. Trevor walked up to the table, placed some credits on the table, and began to play.

The cards were definitely not with Trevor on this day, so he kept his bets small and looked around the area. The droid-man kept adjusting a knob on the front of his armor, talking in Basic and in some strange whistling language. Trevor struck up a quick conversation when his Force-insight registered that this might be a member of the Techno-Union. He seemed to be losing much more than he was winning, but it did not keep him from betting big. Soon, Trevor lost interest. It was not until that point that he realized how hungry he was. He stood up from the table, excused himself and left the casino.

The university sector was nearby and Trevor had the sudden urge to be around younger people. He spied and outdoor café and walked towards a group of younger students discussing aspects of the class they just left. A few people gave Trevor a stare, and even some young ladies looked him up and down, thinking that he was a blind man. Trevor did not try to change anyone's opinion as he walking along. His walking stick was on his belt, but he did not feel like he needed to use it on Alderaan. He walked up to the counterperson, ordered a simple meal, and asked to borrow the latest newspad. The counterperson just slid the pad onto the tray without looking at Trevor. Trevor paid for his meal and walked out onto the outdoor tables. The furthest table had a covering over it to protect it from the sun. Trevor sat down in the light, feeling the need to rejuvenate his body with the light of the sun. Trevor smiled in spite of himself, imagining what Master Shudo would think of him, sitting in a café having a meal around many different people.

After eating most of his meal in silence, Trevor then turned towards the newspad. He sat back in his chair, lounging a bit and relaxing in the midday sun. The datapad contained the latest news from within the city limits. As he was perusing the headlines, he felt a push in the Force to review the second page. A picture of the Museum of Galactic History caught his eye. The article detailed the numerous thefts within the Museum district and the museum's curator, Nelz Yomm, had even mentioned that he was sending a request to the Republic Senate to have some Jedi investigators look into these thefts.

Trevor reviewed the news article a few times, picked up his flatware and cleaned his place off. After dropping his trash in the receptacles, he keyed Shudo on his comlink.

"Trevor."

"Master. I was sitting down having a bit to eat when I ran across an article on a newspad regarding the Museum of Galactic History. They have had a few thefts recently, and knowing that they had been asking for some help, I was wondering if I have your permission to investigate this?"

The comlink made no sound for nearly a minute. Trevor was about to try again when Shudo finally responded.

"Trevor, your request is granted. I have run into a bit of a problem as the Gotal and the Techno-Union delegates wanted to get an early start. There is no need to have you here at this conference as it is already getting heated." At this, Trevor heard raised voices in the background. "Please keep me informed as to your status, Padawan. I do not want any foolishness. You did well with Senator Essada, but please do not take chances."

"Yes, Master. And thank you."

"No, Trevor, thank you. I am glad to see that you are not doing idle things with your time. I must go. May the Force be with you."

Trevor signed off, took a deep breath, and headed straight for the museum.

The Alderaan museum district was located directly across from the Alderaan University System. The two districts took up nearly thirty city blocks, yet did not intrude upon each other's space. Trevor could not figure out if this was by design or by accident. After getting lost a few times, Trevor finally asked for directions to the proper museum. The twenty marble steps to the ten-floor building were impressive, but inside, Trevor stopped dead in his tracks. The inside of the museum went down twice as far as it did up. He could feel the history of the galaxy in this building, and he knew that this building could nearly eclipse the Jedi Archives. He moved away from the front door, allowing a group of school children into the building. A small girl with red hair stared at Trevor's face. Trevor gave a smirk and a wave to the child, whose eyes suddenly opened as big as a Corellian freighter and scampered off to find her friends. Trevor's smile never left his face as he approached the information desk. A young man, nearly twenty and pockmarked, stationed the desk.

"Good afternoon, sir. What can I do for you today?'

"Greetings. I was curious if the curator is available. I have been asked to look him up by a friend of mine."

"I am sorry, sir. Mr. Yomm is unavailable today. He is schedule to be busy for the next week. Is there something else I can do for you?"

"Well, would the assistant curator be available?"

"I am not sure, let me check for you. If you could wait by the bench over there, someone will be with you shortly. Do you require assistance?"

Trevor smiled even wider. "Thank you, no. I am fine."

The young man nodded his head, pointing to a bank of chairs by a large open window. Trevor walked over and sat with his back to the outside. The hum of people talking drowned out the words the receptionist spoke on the phone, but Trevor could tell by the tone that the curator would be down momentarily. He picked up an archeological ITD about a dig on Kalarba. He had nearly finished reading it when he turned his vision towards the front desk. A human woman with brown hair, green eyes and nearing thirty-five Standard years walked towards the reception desk. The young man behind the desk turned and pointed to the Jedi. The woman nodded to him and gave some quick instructions.

"Good afternoon, sir. I am Brea Zal, Assistant Curator of the museum. How can I help you today?"

"Actually, Miss Zal, it is I who is here to help you."

Brea cocked her head sideways, squinted at Trevor. "You're Miraluka, aren't you?"

"Yes, I am. What gave it away, my charming personality?"

"Well, that, and the covering over where your eyes would be. You are also a Jedi, aren't you?"

"Miss Zal -"

"Please, it's Brea."

"Brea, then. In answer to your question, yes, I am a Jedi. However, I would like to speak to you in a more conducive place than here in the main entrance of your establishment."

Brea led Trevor to her office, which to Trevor's surprise was a neat bedlam. The office was cluttered, yet had a professional clutter look to it. Every box, datapad and artifact had its place, and though Trevor could not identify any individual pattern in the chaos, the entire place was organized nearly to a fault.

Brea walked behind her desk, moved a pile of papers and sat in her seat.

"So, Master Jedi-

"Brea, the reason I did not want to talk in public is that I am the padawan learner of Master Shudo Laan. He allowed me to come here and investigate the thefts within the Museum district. A Master, I am not. However, I hope that someday soon, the Council will allow me to take the Trials to become a Jedi Knight."

"Well, that does tend to clear things up a little," Brea's voice seemed suddenly sarcastic.

"Brea, my master asked me to follow up on these thefts. I am here on his behalf. I am here to help. Please allow me this chance."

She look at the Miraluka Jedi sitting across from her, wondering if a padawan was the right kind of Jedi that was needed for this. Reason ultimately won out, and she opened up to Trevor.

"Well, over the last few months, we have had a rash of robberies of rare artifacts from the museum. Curator Yomm thinks that the Jedi investigators can solve this quickly, but I don't know."

"What was taken?"

She opened the top drawer of her desk and handed him a sheet of paper.

"Here are the items that have been taken. Most of them were taken from an exhibit on the fourth floor. We have an extensive Jedi / Sith exhibit that many people find interesting."

"Has there been anything interesting about the articles stolen? Anything relative that you can think of?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact. A few days before each theft, a strange man would ask a great number of questions regarding the stolen exhibits." Brea's face contorted while searching through her memories.

"Actually, I am interested now. Would you mind if we walked down to the exhibit?"

"No, I was just about to suggest it."

They departed the office just as they had entered, quiet and unassuming.

The Jedi Order had existed for nearly twenty millennia and the size of the exhibit seemed bursting with items. The exhibit opened into a two-story rectangular room with pictures and historical plaques detailing those ancient times, and the history of the Order was on display for any that wanted to view it. Trevor stood in awe at what he saw, and Brea had to shake him out of his reverie before they continued on. Trevor complimented Brea on this exhibit and she blushed rather easily. They discussed things in the exhibit and those items that were missing. They made their way around the exhibit, towards a smaller door three-quarters of the way around the room. This next room was a tribute to the Jedi/Sith War. This room was dedicated to some of the major battles that took place during a dark period in the Jedi Order. They discussed the room some more and continued to walk through towards a third room. Trevor walked through the Jedi/Sith War exhibit, but came to a stop at the entrance to the third room. It was a small room, only five meters wide, and ten meters long, but the enmity emitting from that room nearly knocked Trevor onto his feet. The entire room was made up of Sith items. Trevor closed his vision and began to recite the Jedi Code, over and over again.

"Trevor, are you alright?"

"Yes, Brea. It is just that I have never been near a Sith exhibit before. I am not prepared yet to go in."

"Why don't we take a walk outside."

"No, thank you. Something is in here. I can feel it."

Trevor's senses were certainly heightened, most likely due to the animosity generated by this room. He looked around and ventured into the room to locate where the feeling was the strongest. His stomach kept flipping over causing Trevor to wonder if he would be showing his lunch to Brea. The room only took about ten minutes to search. There were no tourists hovering around and Brea kept a respectful distance from him, interested in his investigation techniques.

The disturbance in the Force kept fluctuating in Trevor's mind, similar to waves breaking on an ocean beachfront. Trevor kept repeating his calming mantra to prevent complete revulsion overtake him. Nearing an alcove at the back, his Jedi senses near overload, Trevor narrowed his search to a particular statue of an imposing figure. The figure seemed to be in a hooded robe, its face completely hidden. However, his Jedi senses told him that this statuette was the cause of the disturbance. Odd, thought Trevor.

He called Brea over. "Could you remove that statue there, please?"

Brea walked over to a panel, punched in a code, and the paristeel window slid upward silently. She put on a pair of gloves and removed the statue. Trevor backed away from her as she moved carefully into the walkway.

"Is there a place where we can put this?" Trevor asked.

"Yes, there is a restoration room that we work on. Why?"

"We need to secure this piece. I also need to ask your staff if anyone has been looking at this piece with interest. Do you know if someone has asked about this statue recently?"

"I am not sure."

"We need to interview the staff that's been on duty recently, within the last four days. We need to find out if someone was asking about any specific item."

Trevor and Brea spent the next two hours trying to gather information, which turned out to be sketchy at best. They interviewed security and museum staff members who had covered the exhibit over the last five days. Most of the information gathered was sketchy and very unclear. However, half way through the third hour, they stumbled onto a staff member who recalled a man who was asking specific questions concerning that article just three days ago. Trevor's insight suddenly gave him an idea. He turned quickly to Brea.

"Is the curator available? We need to talk to him, now."

Nelz Yomm was a scholarly gentleman who seemed to have hair going in many directions at the same time. He was shorter than Brea and much older. His eyes were a metallic grey; posture curved as if he had spent too many hours hunched over a book. Trevor and Brea walked into the curator's office fifteen minutes later. Brea introduced two men and they shook hands.

"Mister Yomm, your museum has been experiencing a high amount of thefts recently."

"Yes, Master Jedi. It is certainly disconcerting to say the least."

"Please be assured that I am already working to solve this mystery. However, before going on, I have a question to ask you. I need a replica made of a statue currently in your restoration room. This statue may be the next target of our burglar. I expect that tonight will be the next time that they strike." Trevor proceeded to lay down the evidence that supported his theory. Brea added a few comments also, detailing what exhibit display this was taken from, who was interviewed, and detailed information that augmented Trevor's investigation. Yomm sat back and thought for just a moment.

"It would seem that you have done quite a bit of work for someone who has only been here for a few hours."

"The evidence was already here. All I did was put a new face on an old problem. My training in investigations is not perfect. I cannot say what the article is, and my knowledge is not great enough to be able to answer that question. Someone with more experience would need to study this article to understand why it causes a disturbance in the Force. My mission is to prevent another theft. I have a plan to attempt to capture the thieves. I need to have a replica made. A replica will give me a chance to meet my objective. I also need to discuss with Master Shudo Laan, a Jedi Master, my plan to verify my evidence and plan."

"I shall have the Restoration Team get right to work on it. It should take only a few hours. Feel free to use my office to contact your master."

"Thank you, Master Yomm," Trevor bowed to his hosts.

Yomm and Brea immediately left for the Restoration Room. Trevor pulled out his comlink and punched Shudo's code. Shudo did not immediately respond. Trevor nearly tried to contact him again when Shudo's voice was finally heard. Trevor was surprised by the hint of frustration in Shudo's words.

"Trevor."

"Master. Have I interrupted something?" Additional voices, mostly agitated and angry, could be heard as well through the comlink.

"No, Trevor. One moment." The buzz of voices was suddenly silenced. A sigh seemed to escape from Shudo's voice. "Now, Trevor, what can I do for you?"

Trevor reiterated his evidence to Shudo and reviewed the plan for preventing a possible theft that evening.

"Are you sure that a theft will happen tonight?"

"Master, there has been someone asking questions about an artifact a few days before an event occurs. It would make sense that it would happen the same way again. Maybe they would change how they entered a building, but it would seem as if they are reconnoitering. Different areas of the museum, different people, but there is the same pattern as the others. It just feels like tonight will be another attempt."

Shudo was silent on the other end. "You plan on staying there tonight?"

Trevor took a deep breath of anticipation. "Yes, Master. I plan on staying here. If we are to succeed in this, someone needs to be on the inside. I do not plan on stopping them from the attempt, but to prevent any escape to allow the authorities to capture this thief."

"I will allow this, Padawan," Shudo's concerns traveled the length of the city through the comlink directly to his apprentice. "However, only because the negotiations have already started. The Gotal wanted to begin early so that they could get it finished early. Since you have not been involved with these negotiations, you cannot do much additionally." Another sigh escaped Shudo's body. "If anything goes wrong, you WILL contact me immediately."

"Yes, Master. Are you sure you do not need me? I know how important these negotiations are."

"Not to worry, Trevor. This should be good experience for you. I don't anticipate anything out of the ordinary. Good luck. May the Force be with you."

Trevor signed off, wishing his Master the best of luck in dealing with negotiations. He looked out the curator's office window at the center courtyard. Shadows were growing long and the hour was getting near to the culmination of Trevor's impromptu plan. He hoped that Master Shudo would not need to be called. _That would be nice_, thought Trevor. _However, one must crawl before he can walk._

The replica took until the end of the dinner hour to complete. Brea took the genuine article to a room reserved for the more priceless articles the museum receives in trust. Trevor insisted on not knowing where it was hid, nor did he alert any of the staff. He did not want to give any indications that the museum was aware of a possible theft. Trevor walked the museum for another hour, away from any other staff member to get himself acclimated to the environment. The museum itself was rather unique. The exhibits and displays were separated into smaller rooms on the outside the building. The interior of the building was an open concept design, where you could look across, up and down and see the different exhibits. It was a rather like being in a balcony at a theater, only instead of seats there were historical exhibits.

The museum closed with no strange occurrences. Trevor found a place to hide near the entrance to the Jedi exhibit. There was only one door into the Sith exhibit, the one leading from the Jedi Hall down through the Jedi / Sith war exhibit. It was difficult for the patrons of the museum, but it certainly aided Trevor's plan. The hours seemed to crawl by, yet Trevor concentrated on staying alert. He used his Force-sight to follow people around. Using a semi-trance, Trevor was able to keep completely still, blending into the environment even more. Brea walked by his hiding spot a couple of times, even looking around trying to find him. Most of the staff did not even give a second glace at the 'new Jedi statue' outside of the exhibit.

At the changing of the guard at mid-watch, Trevor sensed a disturbance in the Force. A sound reached his ears, causing him to turn his Force-sight up and down the hall, looking for something out of place. He then pushed his vision to the guard station located a few doors down the hall. He directed his sight to the monitors behind the station, but the monitors did not show anything moving. One of the special security monitors that showed heat signatures did not show anything either, which Trevor thought as odd. No motion sensors had been tripped so it would seem as if his imagination was working overtime. However, a slight shuffle along the carpet alerted Trevor that the monitors were wrong. He redirected his sight to his floor searching around for any signs of movement.

On his walkway, a tall, cloaked figure emerged from the shadows. Trevor's vision was not able to distinguish any features but it seems as if blackness replaced where the figure should have been. Trevor focused on the body, but was unable to distinguish any features. The figure moved stealthily towards the Jedi exhibit. It looked around, verifying that no one had noticed his approach. Making sure none were about, he moved into the exhibit hall. Trevor was certain that this was the thief. As he made ready to move, another slight sound caught his attention. He turned his sight towards the sound, but nothing could be seen. _Odd_, thought Trevor. _Must have just been my imagination again._ The figure had moved out of the exhibit hall when Trevor turned his sight back into the hall. When the figure had moved into the Jedi / Sith portion, Trevor removed his cloak and placed his lightsaber in his hand. It was time to activate part one of his plan. He took out his comlink to contact the security desk on his floor. He told the security detail to initiate a building-wide silent lockdown. Trevor knew that the museum, with all the riches and treasures in the building, had to have some sort of security system. Brea had confirmed it and set up a code specifically for Trevor to initiate a lockdown. He also called Master Shudo, letting him know that a theft was in progress. Shudo told him to keep an eye on the situation and do not let him get out of the building. Trevor signed off and moved from his spot into the main hall into the Jedi Hall ready for action. He moved through the main hall toward the anteroom as silently has he could. With his lightsaber in hand, he moved into the anteroom.

The Sith hall was dark, just the way the figure liked it. There was no alarm sounding, as was expected. All was going perfectly to plan. It extracted a small plasma torch out of its belt, and walked slowly towards the correct display case. Cutting through the paristeel was very simple. It sliced a hole big enough to pull out the statue. It was putting the statue into a pack when a slight movement caught its attention. Suddenly from the entrance to the anteroom, a surprising sight greeted it; a white lightsaber blade suddenly grew out of the dark, outlining a human shape. Without a moment's thought, the figure reached down and pulled out a comlink. The figure barked into it, listening to the response, and placed the com back onto its belt. The figure stared back at the man, and bellowed in satisfaction. The figure then drew a large blaster rifle from his back and took aim on the figure.

Trevor had expected something like this, but when the two-meter tall figure reached under his cloak for a rifle, he was very apprehensive. He maneuvered his lightsaber around in battle defense. The objective was to capture the thief, not kill him. However, it seemed as if the thief had no similar plan. It was either kill or be killed, so Trevor moved forward towards the creature.

The cloak of the figure dropped, causing Trevor to start yet again. This creature was certainly not one that he had ever seen. Its bipedal body, what could be seen, was hairless and dark colored. The beady-orange eyes and lampreylike jaw portrayed eagerness at the battle ensuing. The being took aim at Trevor and fired. The blast missed giving Trevor an opportunity. He moved forward to get a better swing at it. However, the second blast caught part of Trevor's tunic. The heat from the blast caused Trevor to be momentarily stung. The creature move to the back wall of the Sith hall. Trevor continued to move forward, cautious as to the accuracy of the rifle. The creature was only firing one shot at a time. Every other shot, Trevor had to change direction or raise his saber in defense. Unfortunately, the creature was more accurate than Trevor wanted. Continuing to venture nearer to its location, Trevor had a lasershot graze him in the left shoulder. The pain was something that Trevor definitely did not to experience again any time soon. He swung his saber directly at his assailant and was rewarded with a howl of pain. Trevor tried to take a step back, but realized that if he did, it would be detrimental. Another round of blaster fire headed at Trevor. He deflected the beams into a Sith exhibit, showering Trevor with pieces of pottery. Blood started to trickle down his cheek. Feeling the adrenaline in his veins starting to ebb, Trevor felt that only another minute of this would be disastrous. _This creature is strong._ He swung the blade laterally at the creature, immobilizing the blaster very effectively. It backed into the nearest wall as the pieces crashed to the floor. Trevor knew that he had an advantage, but did not want to press it. He needed it alive to find out what were its intentions. Instead, Trevor spoke to the creature.

"Down on the ground, now."

The creature regarded Trevor like a caged animal, no indication that he understood his command. Trevor repeated the request in Wookee, Anx, and Miraluken, hoping that one of them would register. However, the expression never changed. Trevor then pointed his lightsaber down on the ground. The captive seemed grimace and slowly complied. Trevor trained his lightsaber at the beast. The orange eyes burned, but the being did not attempt to raise itself up. Trevor picked up his comlink and attempted to contact Brea. With no immediate answer from Brea, Trevor motioned to the being to get up and move towards the exit. It rose, snarling at Trevor. For his part, Trevor just motioned his saber towards the door. It looked for an opportunity to attack but Trevor never gave it a chance. Trevor adjusted his lightsaber to extend the blade another few centimeters to give him any advantage.

As they reached the entrance of the Jedi exhibit, Trevor moved his vision to scout for any reinforcements. What he saw caused concern. A cable was hanging from the paristeel ceiling. It looked like someone used the ceiling to enter the building. Movement across the causeway made Trevor take in his breath. A second creature, a bit taller but more menacing, was exiting a door on the far end of that hall. What caused the most concern was that Brea's head was in the second thief's muscular arms. A mean-looking blaster pistol was placed next to her temple. Trevor's skin crawled as he watched the first rouge's expression change to a knowing smile. He was outmatched, outclassed, and in danger of causing an innocent to lose her life. _I cannot let that happen, _thought Trevor, shaking his head.

The two groups stood still, a weapon positioned at each other's prisoners. Trevor knew language would be a barrier, but intelligence could be translated just by actions. The other creature bellowed at Trevor, pushing the pistol into Brea's head. Trevor nodded to the kidnapper, deactivating his lightsaber a few seconds after. Though he did not understand the words, he knew the intent. He dropped the lightsaber to his side, still in his hand.

Suddenly the two creatures moved as one. The first drew a similar blaster pistol from his belt while the second creature threw Brea down. A shout could be heard from Brea, but she did not move after. The kidnapper jumped to the ascension cable while the first thief took aim and fired at Trevor. Even though he immediately activated his blade to defended himself, a shot got through and hit him squarely on the left tricep. Trevor knew that the creature was going for the kill as he was in severe pain. He could not grasp his saber in two hands effectively, so he switched his method. He then parried the next two bolts, causing sparks to fly from the walls and railings where the blots hit. Trevor worked very hard at redirecting fire away from Brea's last location. Trevor worked his way closer to the nearest thief. It continued fire at him, but Trevor deflected what fire he could. He was wearing out, and knew if he did not dispatch this creature now, he would not be alive to find out what happened.

He redoubled his efforts to end the contest. He parried to get away from the blaster fire, but nothing hit, this time. The creature's eyes showed a certain joy in battle, but there was also a nagging doubt in his mind as well. Trevor's next riposte was good for clean hit on the leg, causing the creature to fall. It fired one last time, but could not get a clean shot. Trevor saw his next swing enter the creature torso, and knew immediately that the battle was over. He deactived his blade, giving a Jedi salute to the body on the ground, and turned his attention towards the second attacker. The assailant, however, was already out of the hole in the ceiling. Trevor realized at that moment that the first creature was going to get away. The sound of a speeder bike could be plainly heard from above.

Trevor immediately contacted Master Shudo. Shudo was still a few minutes away, but he would divert to search for the rouge speeder. Trevor thanked him and immediately ran to Brea's aid. She was just sitting up when Trevor arrived.

"What were those things?"

"I am not sure. Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I think so."

The sounds of sirens distracted Trevor for a moment. Then a wave of exhaustion swept over him. He put his right arm out to steady himself, willing the dizziness to go away. Brea was still clutching at her head and did not notice Trevor's plight. Trevor reached down and assisted Brea onto her feet.

"We need to see the statue. Can you walk?"

"Oh, yes! I can. Hurry."

The pair moved down to the other end of the causeway and through a steel door. The door seemed to have been cut open near the hinges. The cut was made by a very small laser cutter, Trevor thought. They walked into the room and noticed that nothing else was touched, except for the statue. The statue was cut into two pieces, with one part having a pyramid shaped hole in it. The waves of Sith presence was no longer as intense as Trevor remembered. _There was something inside the statue! How could I have missed it?_ Trevor lamented to himself.

"My master is going to be here shortly. We will need to report everything to him."

Trevor picked up the statue, since its power had severely diminished, and walked out towards the main entrance. A medical team was just entering the museum when Trevor and Brea entered the foyer. Trevor escorted Brea to them and assisted her onto the stretcher. Just at that moment, Brea looked over Trevor's shoulder and her eyes opened very wide. Trevor sensed a familiar presence in the Force and smiled at Brea.

"Get yourself well, Brea Zal. May the Force be with you. Greetings to you, Master Shudo. Were you able to find that bike?"

"Hello, Trevor. No, I was not able to find it. It must have slipped away into an alley. We were not able to track it, either. Are you able to talk, my padawan?"

Trevor turned his visage towards Shudo. The tone of voice said it all.

"Yes, Master. Only just."

Trevor and Shudo walked out onto the center courtyard into the early morning darkness. Trevor was not sure what Shudo wanted to talk about, but waited diligently. He knew that he didn't have long before he passed out, but felt that he needed to give Shudo his attention.

"Give me the situation. All of it."

Trevor reiterated all that happened, leaving nothing out. Including what he thought. Shudo asked him to describe the thieves again, and Trevor responded with more thought, but could not add anything to the descriptions he'd already given. Shudo seemed to be lost in thought. Shudo could be heard to whisper "I thought they had all died out. Obviously not."

"Master, what is it?"

"Trevor, sit down. I am sorry to do this to you, but you need to listen to my words very carefully."

Trevor complied, gathering his robes about him in the brisk morning air.

Shudo sat next to him, also gathering in his robes. "These monsters you fought tonight should be extinct, but they are not. In no disrespect to your training, you should not be here. Those were Deshade (Shudo pronounced it da-SHA-day), assassins from the Jedi/Sith war. These creatures were also known as 'Shadow Killers'. They do not give off infrared or heat signatures. Their race was very good at killing. Both the Sith and the Jedi many hundreds of years ago used them, as assassins and solders, respectively.

Trevor felt the sudden weight of the planet reach out and pull him down.

"Master, there is more. Whatever they were after, they got it." Trevor brought out the broken statue and handed it to Shudo. "I don't know what that indentation is inside of the statue, but it was actually a covering for something."

Shudo examined the statue pieces and immediately put them within his robes.

"Trevor, forgive me. I was not paying any attention to you. You are severely injured." The Anx race was well known for their knowledge of anatomy of any race in the known galaxy. "I want you to go with the medical team immediately. We will discuss this later."

Trevor nodded to his master, and slowly got up. He got to the triage area, and submitted himself to the nearest medical team. As he laid upon a stretcher, Trevor felt that he had failed miserably. _I should not have let that creature get away with the theft_. From that thought, Trevor drifted off to unconsiousness willingly, letting the triage deal with his injuries. Shudo watched the triage team work on his Miraluka padawan and thought to himself, "What have you gotten yourself into, my young padawan? Are you ready for the Trials, as I have forseen? He will need more knowledge in the Jedi lore if he is to be a successful Knight. I don't remember any of my other padawans getting into this much trouble." Shudo walked over to the curator, and discussed other issues.

Trevor awoke, sun beating down on his face. Sounds of birds and other air borne creatures met his ears. Trevor kept his vision closed to enjoy the peace and tranquility of the moment, thinking that he was in the Jedi Botanical Gardens again. However, footsteps and a squeaky wheel woke him from his reverie. With his vision open, Trevor noticed that he was in a hospital bed with a view of the University common. A human doctor walked into the room, greeting Trevor warmly. The doctor gave Trevor an update on his condition. Since arrival to the University Medical Center, Trevor had been in a bacta tank for ten hours. Not that long, for most cases of burns, but due to the number of burn marks he had, it took a short time to heal. The doctor mentioned that he would be smelling bacta for a few hours. The only other instructions the doctor gave him was to take a few days to rest before taking on any more missions. Trevor started, but realized that the lightsaber and robes gave him away as a Jedi. The doctor gave him permission to get dressed and told him that a nurse would be by to give him a quick exam before being released.

Trevor dressed and was released by mid afternoon. Not sure where Shudo might be, he reached for his comlink. That familiar disturbance again made its way to Trevor and he looked around. The Medical Center was directly across the street from the Conference Center that he was supposed to be at for the negotiations. Trevor carefully crossed the street to the conference center, and walked up to Shudo, who was in conversation with two human diplomats.

As Trevor stopped walking, one of the diplomats noticed him, bowing. Trevor responded in kind and the diplomat interrupted the others, pointing out Trevor. Shudo bowed to his compatriots, and excused himself. The other nodded as well, and Shudo walked over to his padawan.

"Trevor, you feeling better?"

"Yes, Master. Though I continuously smell bacta."

Shudo let out a loud chuckle, and he turned bright yellow. "Yes, a bacta tank would cause that. I am glad to see you are recovered. We have an hour before departure. I have a few more things to tidy up. Meet me back at the ship by then."

"Master, do I have your permission to visit the museum one last time?"

Shudo nodded his acceptance, and moved off back to the conference. Trevor turned to the road, hailed a shuttlecab, and told the driver to head to the museum.

Trevor walked to the main reception area and was about to ask if Brea Zal was in when he heard a familiar female voice giving a history on one of the displays in the main foyer. He turned around and Brea was standing there, talking to a bunch of school children. As she turned around, she nearly bumped into him and immediately stopped talking. Trevor smirked at her, and bowed deeply in greeting. "Curator Zal, may I have a moment of your time?"

Brea smirked back, and motioned for a staff member to take over. They walked a short distance away from the group.

"How are you feeling?"

A deep sigh. "I am not sure. I am all jumpy inside. Physically, I'm fine, but I jump when a door closes."

"I am glad that you are not hurt. I am sorry for putting you into harm's way."

"Why? I put myself into that situation. I wouldn't want to do it again in a long time."

"Do you have some time off coming to you?"

Brea's eyebrows rose up. "Why?" she asked, perplexed.

"It might be a good idea for you to get away and find your center. I have my training to fall back on, but those that don't have that advantage, I have heard that a safe place away from a traumatic event does wonders for the soul."

A smile crossed her face. "Yes, I think that it would. Thank you for your assistance, Master Jedi."

He bowed his head in acknowledgement, but did not see fit to correct her. As he straightened, she winked at him, giving him the hint that she knew exactly what she was doing.

Trevor arrived at the spaceport just a few moments before the ship was ready for take off. He went to his quarters and looked around the room. _What is going on? Are the rumors true that the Sith have returned?_, Trevor wondered. A rumble in the floor notified Trevor that the ship was leaving Alderaan. _I like this planet. If I get a chance, I'd like to come back as a tourist. There is so much more here to do._

Trevor's thoughts drifted downward. _I can't believe I let them get away. What was that piece they got away with? Why would they need it? _More questions than answers flittered through his mind. A dark cloud formed in the back of Trevor's mind due to his failure. _How am I going to be a Jedi, if I can't meet the simple objectives of a secondary mission?_ Trevor brooded about it for the remainder of the trip to Coruscant.


	4. Chapter 4

SEARCHING FOR SLAVERS

The return trip to Coruscant seemed to be longer than usual. Trevor could not concentrate on anything, due to the anxiety from the night before. Even though he had been in a bacta tank for ten hours, it still felt as if he'd gotten a full nights rest. The feeling of unease could not be shaken. Those Dashade were a sight that he could not forget, and yet, there was something disturbing about creatures who were known assassins being used as common thieves. There was something underneath the surface that bothered him, but could not put his finger on it.

The familiar surge of hyperspace travel to sublight reverberated the ship. Trevor walked to the main bridge to find Shudo guiding the _Phoenix_ through Coruscant traffic space to the Jedi Temple. Shudo's face showed no emotions, but Trevor noticed that his coloring was a mix of calm / anxiousness, and that worried Trevor. He kept it to himself, though. Shudo knew of the feelings that Trevor was feeling, but did not acknowledge it. _Trevor will mention it in due time,_ Shudo thought.

The _Phoenix_ glided through the hanger bay and landed abruptly. Shudo stood up and motioned for Trevor to follow him. Nothing was directly communicated but there was an abrupt feel to Shudo's Force signature. Trevor felt something along the bond they shared, but followed along silently. They traversed the hanger bay directly to a bank of turbolifts. Shudo walked to the only lift with direct access to the Council chambers. Trevor stopped short of the lift in wonderment. Shudo turned to Trevor and motioned him into the lift. Trevor nodded, entering cautiously.

In the many different missions that Shudo and Trevor had partaken over the years, never had he gone directly to the Council chambers upon returning from a mission. He had been in the chambers many times before, most recently a few months ago for a status report on a training incident. Since that time, Trevor had not been summoned to the Council, nor had he visited with them during any mission debriefs. _This must be serious if he is bringing me along,_ thought Trevor.

The doors to the lift opened to a small waiting area to the Jedi Council chambers. They proceeded into the Chambers without pausing. In all the times he visited, it never ceased an awe-inspiring feeling from the depths of his soul. The Coruscant cityscape could be seen in a 270-degree panoramic view. The travel lanes with hundreds of ships could be seen going in a north – south or east – west route. The Council seats were on the peripheral of the chamber, in such a way as to have all twelve council members watching the presenter from all angles. The circles on the floor notified the Jedi where to stand in relation to others. The pair walked towards the middle of the chamber, silence permeating throughout the chamber. Most of the council members were already seated. The three seats reserved for Ki-Adu-Mundi, Adi Gallia, and Plo Koon were empty. Trevor stood just behind Shudo's right side. Master Yoda nodded to Shudo, "Master Shudo, a report to give you do. Share your experiences, you should."

"Master. Council. I have begun the diplomatic process of peace between the Gotal and the Techno-Union. We need to have some professional diplomats continue the negotiations. And Trevor Gul'dan, my padawan as many will remember, has some interesting news regarding the secondary mission that you assigned us."

Trevor took nearly half an hour detailing everything that went on at the museum, including the attack of the Deshade, the kidnapping, and the subsequent pursuit of the second figure. Nervous energy flowed through Trevor as he explained the entire incident. Trevor suddenly realized that the Council may not know about his lightsaber, but maybe that would be for another time. He finished his description of the events, and stood back in his normal position.

"Trevor Gul'dan, you faced two of these Deshade by yourself," asked Mace Windu, his face an ebony monolith, but his eyes blazed in astonishment.

"Yes, Master. I contacted Master Shudo as I realized that the thief might have been too much for me. However, Master Shudo mentioned that he would not be able to be there right away, so I took it upon myself to deal with him. Master Shudo wanted me to keep it at the museum, so I tried to deal with it the best I could."

Yoda and Windu looked at each other knowingly. Trevor was not sure what was going on, and he could not get a read from either of them. Mace nodded to Shudo as if to dismiss the pair. Shudo bowed as well.

"Very lucky you are, young padawan, to survive. Extremely strong they are. Trained killers this race is. Glad to have survived we are. A strong Jedi will you make one day.

Trevor looked at the wizened faced Jedi, realizing that he had been brooding for nothing. Jedi were not perfect, sometimes there were stronger enemies and it takes more than just one mistake for a Jedi to fall from grace.

Yoda nodded very slightly to Trevor, and he bowed his head towards the ground to keep the smirk from showing to the Council.

Mace Windu raised his chin, commanding attention.

"The council will investigate this matter. It would seem that there is something more here than we can see. Clear your mind of this matter," and with this, he turned his eyes over to Trevor. _Well, revenge is the path to the dark side. I hope that I have another chance someday._

"Some new information has reached us from Jedi Master Ooma Koomal. She and Nawara Komad are tracking some slavers. A large shipment of slaves is to arrive on Brentaal in the next few days. We are uncertain of how they are being shipped there, or even where they are going to dock. Your mission is to investigate and shut down slave operations if possible. Priority is to safely recover all of the slaves.

Trevor felt the need to speak at this point. "Pardon my boldness, Masters, but how many slaves are there supposed to be on this 'delivery'?"

"Nearly two dozen believed to be there are."

Shudo nodded to his padawan, yellow highlights speckling his skin. "Has there been any word from Ooma?"

"No," replied Windu. "She isobserving communication silence right now. She is undercover, and getting us this message was dangerous as it was. No word from her padawan either."

Trevor thought back to his days as a youngling in the jedi temple. His Nexu Clan was formed very early on, and most of the eighteen members of his clan were still alive. Nawara was a purple skinned twi'lek, a very common race of slaves. She was also had successfully become a Jedi Knight, one of eight current knights in Trevor's clan. He worried about her, as he would his sister. His clan still met for dinner each night when they were in the temple and they would almost act like a family. They worked with each other on assignments, comforted them when necessary, pushing them more often. Some of the clan had died in the line of duty, but they all remembered the lessons and happiness.

"Very well, Masters," said Shudo. "We leave within the hour."

The pair bowed to the Council, turned and left the way they came in. The door to the Council chambers closed, and Yoda and Windu turned to one another, the bond of Padawan & Master still connecting them in the Force. The unspoken words filled in the gaps much louder than the silence that filled the room.

The Crystal Phoenix departed Coruscant air space an hour after Trevor and Shudo left the Council Chamber. Trevor did not have time to visit with the remainder of his clan for dinner. Shudo was insistent on leaving within the hour. Trevor assisted with the preparation of supplies for the ship and even took his assignments from the prior week that he did not finish prior to leaving for Alderaan. Brentaal was just over an hour of travel from Coruscant, but Trevor felt that he needed to keep busy. Shudo, on the other hand, had a different idea. Ten minutes after entering hyperspace, Shudo called Trevor him to the crew lounge. Shudo was sitting at a table, looking at a datapad. Even though Trevor was fairly silent, Shudo acknowledged his presence.

"It would seem that the slaver information sent by Ooma barely detailed the slaves release. We have very little information to go on. Brentaal has three spaceports that might work. What do you think, Padawan?"

While looking at the information given, Trevor dared to ask a question.

"Master Ooma trained you, correct?"

"Yes, she did. She has been with the Order for quite some time. She's a very good teacher and an excellent friend. I would be lying if I said I was not worried. As I am sure that you are of your friend, Nawara, I believe? Do not worry about your friend. She is a capable Jedi, and would not have been allowed to take on the Trials if Ooma did not think her ready."

Trevor nodded silently and regarded the datapad intently. He did not want to think about losing another of his Clan. But he was old enough to understand the risks of that the Jedi Order took to keep peace and justice in the galaxy. Many Jedi over the past forty thousand years lost their lives doing what they must to maintain order. The only order Trevor had in his 'sight' was the mission given to his master by the Council.

The datapad showed the spaceports of Brentaal organized by types of ships received during a Standard week. Brentaal was a major junction point for two of the highest traveled trade routes throughout the galaxy. Thousands of ships passed through that sector on trading business, both legal and illegal. Most of the cargo was left on container in space, however there were a great number of spacedocks on the planet that would give room for a container large enough to transport slaves. Trevor suddenly had an idea.

"Master, I am trying to place myself in the heads of a slaver. Where are the best places to smuggle something in, not have an inspection agent look too close, and get it off planet quickly?"

Trevor sorted the list of spaceports by types of containers sorted and then by security personnel on hand. Only three centers stood out, but Trevor's mind kept going back to Othard, the most wretched place of the three.

"If I were carried a large container of slaves, I would want them in good condition; not battered, but alive. A place that security would look the other way, or just doesn't have the resources to handle a container that large. Master, I think they would land here," pointed Trevor to Othard.

Shudo watched his apprentice growing before his eyes. Normally, Trevor would have followed along with the mission outline that Shudo put together, but Shudo wanted to test Trevor's mission planning skills. He also needed something else to occupy his mind, and Shudo could read that Trevor was concerned about his friend. Emotions are not becoming to a Jedi, but even Shudo understood the link between clanmates. Trevor's common sense was very good, but his Force-sight needed a little work. Shudo locked away this piece of information as well, hoping a better time would come to apply it.

"How would you suggest we search for these slavers? Just can't ask them now, can we?"

After a moment's pause, "Master, would you be willing to lead a blind man around town for a while? If we get off the ship and switch clothing, we might be able to don disguises of a blind man looking for a little… companionship."

Brentaal's planetary almanac showed that eighty-five percent of the population was human. Most normal humans did not know a Miraluka from a blind man. Trevor had used the blind man routine on a few occasions, just to test it out during his teenage years mostly to play practical jokes on the humans in Coruscant. He never thought that it would actually come in handy on a mission. Shudo's skin turned a bright yellow. "The master becomes the padawan, and the padawan becomes the master. Interesting notion, Trevor. Sir. Why would you pick that disguise?"

"Actually it is rather simple. Who is going to disturb a blind man who has a four meter tall bodyguard / nurse nearby? The Anx race is well known for their anatomy, and it most likely will be assumed that you are a nurse, but your walk should also give people pause that, even though you are a nurse, you know how to handle yourself in a fight. It will get you into places that would normally be off limits to you based on your size. I know you can get in an out of places rather easily, Master, but wouldn't it be simpler if we were just part of the crowd?"

Shudo's face broke out into a rare smile which surprised Trevor.

"It is a sound plan. Let us prepare. Your studies will have to wait another day. Sir."

"Boy, this is going to be hard to be used to." Trevor smirked at Shudo, and the two enjoyed a good laugh.

The _Phoenix_ landed at the Othgard Spaceport shortly after midday. Shudo and Trevor sneaked off the ship, going directly to a maintenance shop with Ee-Five. Ee-Five was going to bring back a case of tools to be used for repairs. At least that was Shudo's part in the charade. Shudo and Trevor switched clothing and exited the shop unnoticed. Trevor expanded his walking cane, grabbed hold of Shudo's cloak and gently waved the stick in front of him. He thought he looked silly, but when he hit a few people in the ankles before they walked in front of him, the looks they shot gave Trevor no reason to think that the disguises were not working.

Shudo and Trevor walked the streets, looking for a place that reeked of corruption. Unfortuntately, most of the cantinas in this part of Brentaal were run down and seedy. Brawls and scuffles were the norm. Trevor's outfit caused him to be a bit out of place, but Shudo's presence turned of anyone from bothering them. They continued down what Trevor called Cantina Way for another half-kilometer when Shudo moved his head towards a multi-floored cantina with scantily clad women draping themselves over the patrons on the balconies. Trevor turned his head towards the cantina, and with it, had a premonition that this would be the place. Trevor motioned his cane towards the 'establishment' and Shudo complied.

They walked up the few steps together towards the door. Trevor noticed right away that Shudo would not have fit through the door in any form. He would be on his own.

"What is the problem?" Trevor prompted Shudo.

"Sir, I shall be unable to enter this establishment. The doors are too small for me to fit." A slight edge could be heard in Shudo's voice. Trevor did not like going in alone either, but the way of the Force was mysterious. Trevor needed to keep up the charade he wanted to portray.

"Very well. Stay here until my return. I am going to have a drink and hopefully a talk. You will be fine?"

"Yes, Sir. I can manage here."

"Very well."

Nearly giggling at the exchange, Trevor walked into the cantina and navigated directly towards the bar. The current patrons ignored him as he moved on. He purposely caught his cane on a few tables and chairs, just to keep up illusions that this was not a familiar place.

The crowd was actually quite sparse for the time of day which made Trevor a bit nervous. He ordered a drink and sipped it quite calmly, reciting the Jedi Code in his mind the entire time. The drink wasn't especially good, but he did order a Corellian red wine. Something that was a bit expensive, yet not overly so. _Well, that should get someone's attention_.

A fragrance greeted Trevor's senses, and he turned his sight, but not his face, towards the sounds of footfalls nearing him. An buxom human woman wove her way through the establishment. Trevor nearly dropped the act right there, but was smart enough to also realize that this woman was a pro. She knew exactly how to walk, how to present herself, and probably how to speak elegantly. His defenses immediately went up.

"Is this seat taken," asked the woman.

Trevor moved his head slightly to sound of her voice, portraying a blind man.

"I am not sure, to be honest with you. I haven't heard anyone sitting there yet."

The woman looked him up and down, nodding at what she saw. Trevor saw a light in her eyes. _She's thinking I am an easy mark. Well, let's just see how easy she thinks I am._

The two started up a conversation of small talk with each trying to gauge the others' intent. A few drinks came and went, with Trevor picking up the tab. He had never really done this before and wanted to keep on her good side. He waited until almost three drinks later to broach the subject of 'companionship'.

"Irana, I wonder if you would allow me to ask you a personal question. Would you know where a gentleman could find some companionship? Being blind does have it's downfall, and I'd rather like to have some more compatible companionship that my nurse outside."

The woman turned towards the door, and noticing Shudo pacing outside.

"My, he is a big one, isn't he?"

"Helps having a body guard as well. Only need one to fill two posts. However, I do get lonely. Know anyone who can help? Money is no object." Trevor leaned forward and slurred his speech slightly.

"Well, I am not exactly the person to talk to, but I might know someone who'd help you out. Are you business activities completely above board," she whispered.

"My dear, I would not be here if everything I did was completely above the board."

"Let me contact my employer. He might know someone you can get in contact with. Will you excuse me for a moment?"

"Certainly."

Irana got up from her chair and proceeded to pull a comlink out of her vest pocket. She punched a few numbers on the com, and began speaking in hushed tones. Trevor decided not to impede the conversation by listening in; he could see her face and it was certainly animated.

Trevor also turned his vision towards Shudo. He was pacing nervously back and forth looking into the window on occasion. When Shudo looked in, Trevor nodded his head in the direction of Irana. Shudo nodded back, signifying that he received the signal. He moved off to the northern side of the balcony and began looking out over the cityscape.

Irana returned shortly thereafter. Trevor's nerves were certainly on the edge, but the drinks largely kept him calm enough for Irana to not suspect anything. She had a sly smile on her face.

"Well, you return. And what did he have to say?"

"Can you purchase immediately?"

"Depends on the method of delivery, cost and quality of the merchandise. I have specific needs and I can make arrangements necessary if I have to."

"Good. Then let's go."

Irana reached over and grasped his elbow to lead him away. Trevor stood, paid the remainder of the tab, and exited the building on Irana's lead. Shudo sensed his padawan's presence, but noted that Trevor seemed to be in control of the surrounding. The two exited the cantina and Trevor stopped at the top of the stairs.

"Excuse me, dear." He turned towards Shudo. "You are dismissed for the rest of the day. I have an appointment that I must keep. Be ready to leave as soon as I get back." Trevor sent a warning through the Jedi bond, hoping that Shudo would not really listen, but play along instead.

Shudo nodded at Trevor. "Certainly, Master," indicating to Trevor that Shudo received both messages. "I will be waiting for you at the ship upon your return. You are certain you do not need me?"

"I shall be fine, nursemaid. Do not wait for me. Enjoy yourself in this fine city."

Trevor moved towards Irana. "Well, then my dear. Let us be off."

They turned south and walked for nearly ten minutes. Trevor kept his vision moving around, keeping up with Shudo and his position to Trevor and Irana. Shudo could certainly keep himself hidden when he wanted to. No one else seemed to be following them, and knowing that Shudo was nearby made him feel much easier. The feeling of doubt still nagged at him, but having his Master nearby always made him feel better.

An open car shuttle stopped near the pair. Irana ushered Trevor into the cab, and Trevor became a bit more nervous. Shudo wouldn't be able to follow easily. Irana pushed him from behind gently into a seat. By all accounts, Irana's employer was someone who didn't take their chances when meeting with anyone. The shuttle left the street with a sudden lurch. Trevor turned his sight downward and realized that Shudo was running towards another shuttle cab, trying to pursue Trevor's vehicle. However, Trevor lost sight of him within moments. He was now truly on his own. _This could be a problem_, thought Trevor.

The hotel that Trevor stopped in front of was a bit run down on the outside. A circular area in the front allowed for cabs and taxis to drop off their fares at the front door. Most of the patrons of this establishment walked up to the building instead of being dropped by a vehicle. Irana checked the perimeter quickly and exited the vehicle with Trevor in tow. They entered the hotel lobby, which was remarkably different. Where the exterior was rundown and beat up, the reverse was true for the inside. Lavish furnishing were everywhere. The sofas and benches seemed to have an extra shine on them. The lift doors were surprising close to the front enterance. A lift arrived, leading the pair to the top floor. The lift doors opened to a lush suite. Irana walked into an open area with a sunken circular sofa and led Trevor to the kitchen area.

Behind a counter was a green skinned Sarkan. The Sarkan was over 2.25 meters tall. The snout protruded out from the jaw and two sharp teeth pointed up from the lower jaw gave him a very sinister look. The dark green eyes looked over at Trevor as he and Irana walked in. Trevor nearly shook in fright but managed to keep his cane moving in front of him.

"I have brought our new customer, Zirak."

"Good. Have a seat. Want something to eat?"

The polite way from the Sarkan didn't throw Trevor off. He waited patiently for Zirak to finish his drink canister. Zirak continued eating and drinking while the door to the other room opened. Trevor turned his head slightly towards the sound and moved his point of view to the living quarters. Three Klatooinians, hairless humanoids with course reddish-brown skin, canine-shaped jaws, walked in and spread out around the room. The high foreheads gave these Klatooinians a fierce look, and it reminded Trevor of a similar race that was used as slaves by the Hutts. Directly behind the Klatooinians, two reptilian humanoids with leathery ruddy-red skin, horned faces, no visible nose, and armed to the teeth stood guard by the door. Trevor also recognized these as Red Niktos, another Hutt slave species. The Niktos kept their hand-like appendages near their weapons at all times. _No catching them off guard_, Trevor thought

"So, I hear from my assistant that you are looking for some companionship."

"Yes, I am. I am looking for a female who can be docile, and yet intelligent enough to realize that a blind man can do only so much."

"So what species do you require?"

Trevor took a moment's pause. "Twi'lek. Some associates of mine have a few twi'leks on their staff." Trevor pause before saying the last words.

"Well, I believe that I can provide you with what you want. However, payment needs to be provided up front."

"I don't work that way. If you have product, fine. If you don't want to do business, I'll leave now."

"What?" Zirak was stunned by the sudden reply.

"Very simple. You have a product; I have the credit to purchase said product. However, I require that I inspect the merchandise prior to purchase. I do not expect blind purchases. If I am going to be using your merchandise

Zirak looked directly at him, debating the wisdom of his words. Trevor looked around the room, trying to 'blindly' look at the Sarkan. Zirak smiled, nodded and responded.

"Very well. We will inspect the product prior to purchase."

"Good. When do we inspect the merchandise?"

"Irana, you are excused. We don't need you the rest of the day." Irana immediately got up from her seat in the kitchen and left the domicile posthaste. Zirak motioned to his guards. The two Niktos immediately opened the door and moved outside. Two of the Klatooinians raised themselves off the sofa and moved towards the door. Zirak stopped the third Klatooinian, and whispered something to him. The Klatooinian nodded to him, looked at Trevor and sneered. Trevor never moved his head from its position, but he doubted that was a good sign. The entourage headed out the lounge towards the turbolift. A Klatooinian grasped Trevor's arm and led him out of the apartment. They took the lift back down towards the lobby and headed to another shuttle car. Trevor thought about reaching out with the Force to find Shudo, but did not want to take the risk in case some one might be Force sensitive and give himself up. _Shudo can take care of himself,_ thought Trevor. _He'll find me_.

The cargo stacks were on the outskirts of the city. Many large containers were stacked one on top of another, two and three high, three long, and four or five across. Trevor got lost in the amount of containers. _How the Force am I going to get out of this?_ Trevor shifted slightly to feel his lightsaber next to his ribs. The three Rodians nudged each other, pointing at Trevor. Knowing that his disguise could go wrong at any moment, he tried to move only a little.

The shuttle slowed down, and started a landing approach to an opening within a large storage area. The shuttle landed in the edge of an area inside of the containers thirty meters long by ten meters wide. The shuttle car fit neatly at one end of the corridor. The group disembarked from the shuttle and walked to the end of the on the opposite end of the long corridor and traversed the entire area in a few moments. As they turned the corner, another area thirty meters long by ten meters wide laid out before them. At the other end was a pair of whiphids guarding a door located nearly in the middle of the back wall. The four moved straight towards the door. The group entered the conainer, and Trevor's nose detected stench of peoples being too close together in a confined space. Trevor adjusted his sight to find a surprise.

The container's interior was lined on each side with cages, each five meters wide. Trevor heard movement in one of the cages but kept his edge on. Here were the slaves that he'd been assigned to find. Zirak walked nearly half the container towards a number pad on the wall. After punching in a code, the nearest door opened, and Zirak led Trevor into the room. Inside were twelve female Twi'leks of different coloring. Most of the women cowered in the corner as Zirak walked in. He grabbed a blue-green female and thrust her up towards the center of the room.

"Sir, your newest companion."

Trevor walked up to the young lady, who could not have been more than fifteen standard years old.

"No, she is too young. She will not do."

Zirak shook his head, and his countenance took on a look of disgust.

"Well, you are the customer. It is not like I haven't done this before. Ah! Here's one! She's a bit feisty, but she'll do will for you."

Zirak grabbed a yellowish twi'lek by the hair and yanked her to her feet. She grabbed a hold of his arm, but she could not escape his grasp. Trevor walked over to her and placed a hand under her face.

"You can let go of her now."

Zirak release her, and the twi'lek, feeling something gentle in the touch, did not fight Trevor's hand. She stood up straight, standing nearly as tall as he. Trevor reached out and felt down her arms, walking around her as if inspecting her. As he walked behind her, he waited until the female was between Zirak and himself. He whispered to her behind her back.

"Remain calm."

The muscles on the back of her neck tensed and immediately relaxed. Trevor grasped her neck, shoulders, and felt her face. He placed his hands on her face, turned it down to him. He smirked slightly to keep her attention on his face. Her cheeks tensed, giving Trevor the immediate sense that she was trying to smile. As Trevor removed his hands, the increasing sound of ship reached his ears. Trevor frowned slightly. Someone was approaching the area. Any more aliens nearby and Trevor would be in even more trouble. A squawking comlink raised Trevor's attention level. He tried to listen but the language was something that he had not heard before. The voice sounded confused and under duress. Trevor thought that was odd. He turned from the twi'lek and headed outside of the cell. Zirak was standing outside the door with a comlink in his paw. He snarled into it, and turned back towards Trevor.

"Well, how is she?"

"She'll be—" Trevor started, but a distant _snap-hiss_ stopped them in their tracks.

"What the—" Zirak reached behind him, and grabbed a large blaster pistol from under his jacket. "Stay here. I don't want a blind man in my way."

Zirak walked down the corridor toward the door. He was nearly at the door, when a second _snap-hiss_ diverted his attention back down the corridor. Trevor had interposed himself between the Sarkan and the slaves. His white blade illuminated the entire container in a steady light. The Sarkan turned his blaster back towards the diminutive Jedi, intent on blasting him out of the container. However, Trevor knocked the bolt right back at the Sarkan. The laser bolt hit the bulkhead near Zirak causing sparks to shower all over him. Zirak roared his frustration at Trevor.

"You will not get out of here alive!"

"We'll see, Zirak. We'll see."

Zirak fired twice more, but nothing got through Trevor's defenses. Trevor did not move his positiion, keeping Zirak and company away from the slaves that were five meters away. The Council's missive about keeping the slaves alive was all Trevor thought about, and standing here was the best thing for him. He felt more alive than he had before. _This is right_, thought Trevor. The two Nikto moved away from the main door, around Zirak and headed towards Trevor. Zirak maneuvered out of the way and the Sarkan smiled.

"You will not get out of here alive, Jedi!"

The Niktos fired a barrage of fire at Trevor. He blocked only three of the shots, a fourth ricocheting off the near container wall. Sparks showered Trevor, but he ignored the burning ashes as they fell upon his skin and robes. He advanced towards the Niktos to give them something else to think about. Zirak reached the door but had to back away from the door as a blue-white blade made an arch through the metallic structure. Trevor blocked all the laser fire that neared him, however, not much got near him. The exterior light suddenly illuminated the interior as a loud CLANK shook the floor. A four meter tall shadow stood walked into the archway, and the blue blade swooped around very quickly, neatly taking off Zirak's blaster arm. Trevor had spared with Shudo as he was learning the lightsaber techniques. Many years had gone by and Trevor still not believe how fast the Anx Jedi could move. Shudo effortlessly floated from one fighting position to another. Zirak tried to attack Shudo, but was unable to even get close. Shudo did not even bat an eye when Zirak went down. A Klatooinian turned around, and upon seeing Shudo, immediately took off towards Trevor. Trevor kept his blade up and the Klatooinian fired nearly point blank. Trevor dodged out of the way, and swiped at the Klatooinian ,not expecting to land a fatal blow. The body slump to the ground, and Trevor disengaged his blade. He turned to the remaining three bodyguards.

"Drop your weapons, now!" Trevor commanded. The three guards dropped the weapons as if they were made of molten metal. Shudo walked over to Trevor.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, Master Shudo. I am fine."

"Good." A door on the far side of the container jolted the Jedi into action. Shudo commanded. "Stay here," and as graceful as a glider hustled across the container.

A movement warned Trevor of problems. One of the Nikto reached behind his back and had pulled a small handblaster out. He had it aimed at Trevor's head. Immediately white light filled the area as the blade suddenly roared to life. Time seemed to stand still. The blade, as if moving of its own volition, turned nearly horizontal and reached out toward the Nikto's arm. As the arm came down to aim at Trevor, the blade sliced off the entire lower arm, blaster pistol intact. The appendage clattered as the barrel of the pistol connected with the flooring. As Trevor turned his sight towards his prisoners, time returned to normal. The Nikto fainted in shock from the sudden loss of his arm, while the remaining Klatooinian and Nikto dropped their weapons to the ground. The remaining guards put their hands up into the air, not wanting to lose what their companion did. Trevor then turned back towards Shudo.

Shudo's hands were certainly full. Another pair of whiphids had entered from the back door. They were surprised at the large Jedi bearing down on them. One had successfully backed out the door and was trying to hide directly next to the door. The other, unfortunately, did not last long under Shudo's practiced hand. After dispatching the first, Shudo looked at the remaining door, and jabbed his lightsaber through the right side of the door way. A squeal of pain could be heard, and then a muffled _thump_. Shudo's blade revereted back into its disk, and he returned back towards Trevor.

"We have to get these slave out of here."

"Master, we need to tie these thre…. Two remaining prisoners up. I think the third will comply."

"Trevor, what have I –"

"Master, I did what was necessary to protect myself and you." And he nodded to the appendage on the floor.

"Very well, find some rope and apprehend these two."

Trevor found some sturdy rope and tied the three prisoners together. The one-armed Nikto was still in pain, but definitely alive. Shudo proceeded to disengage all the locks within the container. Trevor assisted with the extrapolation of the slaves into the open area outside. The sight disturbed Trevor very much. Slavery in the Republic was illegal, but smugglers and the Hutts still found ways to sell and use slaves. Trevor found that he was sickened by the conditions of the twi'lek slaves. Squalor and fetid were two words that came unbidden into his mind. The stench in some stables were overpowering.

Trevor called over to Shudo while escorting the twi'leks that he had inspected just a half hour before.

"Master, that ship is certainly not going to be enough. We need to have the _Phoenix_ to transport everyone. Shall I contact E5?"

Shudo nodded and helped the former slaves out of the container. Trevor contacted E5, requested the astromech to move the ship from the space dock to the Stacks. E5 twittered an affirmative and Trevor returned to assist Shudo with the return of the slaves.

The Crystal Phoenix arrived over the Stacks five minutes after Trevor's call. E-Five extended the landing ramp into the open area. The nearly two-dozen slaves limped aboard and found their way to open areas within the ship. Trevor and Shudo found room for everyone within the hallways, kitchen area, and even in the cargo holds. Trevor found extra blankets and passed them out. Twenty minutes after E-Five dropped the ramp, the _Crystal Phoenix_ streaked through the atmosphere, heading back to Coruscant. Shudo contacted the Council, letting them know that the slaves were safe. Master Windu, who answered the communication, acknowledged that there would be Med-Corp staff for when they arrived.

Trevor walked back through the ship, checking on each of the slaves, making sure that each one was as comfortable as possible. A young girl motioned to Trevor.

"What is it, little one?"

"The old lady is not feeling well, but she will not admit it. I have seen her stand up to the slavers."

"Really? Maybe we should see if she would like to be in a comfortable bed, shall we."

The little girl, who was no more than twelve, got a twinkle in her eye from the joke, started to bounce down the hallway. Smiles could be seen on many of the faces. A few of them had confused looks on their faces, but smirks could be seen. A yellowish-gold twi'lek, with wrinkles on her face, could be seen leaning against the bulkhead.

"Ma'am, can I offer you a better place to rest that this hard door? Someone of your stature needs something better accommodations."

"No, I am fine…"

"Ma'am, my Master would be very upset at me if I didn't offer you something more comfortable. I know just the place. Please follow me."

Trevor led the old woman down a short corridor to his room. No one had taken his room, but the older lady looked like she needed a good rest. Trevor moved aside and directed the woman to the sleeping pallet.

"It is sparse, but it is what I call comfortable. It will get you off your feet for the next hour or so. I will come and wake you when we arrive at Coruscant."

The woman turned to Trevor with tears in her eyes. Kindness was not something that she was used to. Trevor bowed to her, turned and exited the room. The feeling of accomplishment came over Trevor as he walked towards the bridge of the ship. There was certainly more to the Jedi Order than he ever figured before. Now, who would be shipping slaves in such terrible conditions?

Nearly an hour later, Shudo Laan worked the controls of the _Phoenix_ as Trevor entered. He was proud enough of his padawan for adjusting to the situation at hand. Trevor showed that he could handle himself to get into a place, and be able to complete an objective. '_This may have been a simple mission, but Trevor's handling of this slaver ring is something that the Council should know about_,' Shudo thought. He composed the message in front of Trevor and sent it before Trevor could see what he had done. Shudo knew that the request would be considered, and no other course of action could be taken. He proved he was ready.

An indicator light flashed on the piloting console, and Shudo pulled back the hyperspace controls. The starlines shrank back to points in the viewscreen, and Coruscant loomed quickly in front. The _Phoenix_ was immediately cleared for landing at the Jedi Temple. Landing in the main hanger bay only took fifteen minutes more, and soon, Shudo and Trevor were helping to get the twi'leks onto Med-Corps stretchers and repulsorbeds for the Med-Corp to give a complete physical exam. Many of the twi'leks gave the pair nods and smiles. The young girl that Trevor spoke with waved happily as she was led to the turbolifts. Trevor smiled at the pure happiness that radiated from her.

A ripple in the Force announced Shudo's adjustment. "Get yourself checked out as well. I want to make sure that you are also fine."

"Master, you do not want me to report to the Council with you?" Trevor asked in near relief.

"I think that the Council will respect my judgment in this particular matter. Go get some rest. You have earned it."

Trevor bowed to Shudo, and proceeded to head back to his quarters. Shudo watched the Miraluka and knew that he would be a very good Jedi. He would miss Trevor as a padawan, but as with his previous padawan, Kimber Thomree, those two would certainly start to erase a part of Shudo's past that he did not talk about much; a Jedi that has turned away from the path of the Order. 'This one will be fine, I can feel it.' Shudo turned from the hanger bay and headed towards the Council lift.


	5. Chapter 5

SHADOWS AND LIGHT

The evening shimmer of Coruscant's cityscape was reflected across the living quarters in the Jedi Temple. A faint blue tint could be seen across Trevor's face. The Miraluka slept very soundly for the first time since the return from Brentaal. The normal sight of perpendicular lines of vehicles was significantly lessened so early in the morning. Now, instead of fifty vehicles in a hundred meter segment, there were maybe ten to fifteen in the same section. Cleaning droids worked tirelessly on the outside of the Temple, washing windows and touching up paint where needed.

The com-station bleeped to live, loud enough to cause Trevor to stir. Trevor shakes the sleep from his limbs and clambers out of his bed. He turned towards the com-station, and a ripple in the Force, and the sounds of heavy footsteps notified Trevor that the same message disturbed Shudo. Trevor pressed a button on the com-station, and a message appeared:

MISSION PROFILE:  
LOCATION:MORIBEDO DISTRICT/PLANET METALLOS/CORE WORLD REGION

_Droid analysis of docking security cams has revealed the presence of numerous unidentified beings matching profile of subject 624/Aldara/G3. Beings do not register on port-security infrared-scans. Subjects are to be investigated with caution. Illegal operations by subjects will warrant immediate apprehension and/or use of lethal force. Secondary priorities involve location and recovery of stolen historical artifact._

Displayed under the message was a copy of the security-cam capture, both in normal light and infrared. Normal light showed Trevor a Deshade walking directly through a shuttle terminal. The infrared scan showed… nothing. No heat signatures whatsoever. As he heard his master emerging from his adjacent quarters, Trevor was suddenly very much awake. Having dealt with the Deshade very recently, Trevor knew that this could be a very big break in solving the mystery of the Aldaraan Museum thefts. Another image drew his attention. A conjectured image of the stolen historical artifact gave credence to Trevor's thought of solving this mystery.

Trevor was deep in thought when a sudden wave of agitation and foreboding hit him through the Force. Concerned, Trevor adjusted his sight and was greeted with Shudo's appearance walking slowly down the corridor. Shudo was staring at his datapad with a look of frustration, his skin a jumbled mix of orange, red and purple. Though Trevor did not mean to pry, the display on Shudo's datapad is clearly visible as Trevor's master approached.

DATAFILE:IRRYMAHD (ALIAS?)  
SPECIES:UNKNOWN  
HOMEWORLD:UNKNOWN  
HEIGHT:2.25 M  
WEIGHT:170 KG  
AGE:UNKNOWN _(Unverified source indicated activity during the initial settlement of the planet Belgaroth 589 years ago)_  
STATUS:Wanted for deadly crimes in 26 systems.  
LAST VERIFED CONTACT:  
_failed apprehension 21 years ago by Jedi Knight Shudo Laan._  
APPENDUM:92 of Irrymahd's victims died from massive cerebral trauma from unknown weapon.

**EXTREME CAUTION ADVISED.**

UPDATE: Investigation of recent activities on Metallos indicates the involvement of the criminal Irrymahd. The nature of his involvement is unclear at this time. The council has instructed Master Shudo Laan to take necessary measure to apprehend the subject, using lethal force if needed. Master Shudo has also been advised to instruct his padawan to avoid contact with the subject.

With a growing sense of unease, Trevor withdrew his vision back into his room as Shudo stopped in front of his door. Trevor did not want to be rude and eavesdrop on his master, but this information was not something that Shudo would just give up on his own. Shudo never talked much about himself, or any of his past missions, just that sometimes Jedi are not always as successful as they may think. Trevor harkened back to the mission on Alderaan, when he was successful in rescuing Brea Zal, but was unsuccessful in stopping the theft of an unknown artifact, which all indications were a Sith holocron. Trevor knew what it felt like and did not want to intrude on Shudo's emotions at this point. The door indicator rang, and Trevor waited just a moment before opening the door. Shudo nodded to Trevor, not truly seeing Trevor, but busy in another galaxy.

"Good morning, Master. Up early today?"

Shudo shook his head as if clearing away thoughts.

"My apologies, Trevor. I presume that you have seen your mission profile?"

"Yes, Master, I have. Would you like to come in? I might have some tea available."

Shudo's color turned to a orangish-yellow. "That would be pleasant, Trevor, thank you."

Trevor bowed, and walked towards the kitchenette. Trevor's apartment was just large enough to allow Shudo to walk in and sit in one corner of the room. Due to Shudo's size, his padawan lived in an adjacent apartment instead of the traditional two berthing areas known throughout the Temple. Shudo did not enter Trevor's apartment much, but he had been into the apartment more than just this one time. Shudo sat in a chair reserved just for someone his size, and Trevor worked on making the tea. The silence was palpable in the room. Trevor finished making the tea, and placed a large mug in front of Shudo.

"Master, is there something wrong? You don't seem yourself this morning."

"No, Trevor. I am not myself this morning. I know that you received a copy of our mission to follow up on the sec-cam on Metallos. However, I have received word of another issue that has arisen." Shudo adjusted himself slightly and leaned forward. "What I am about to tell you, Trevor, is very important. Please do not make light of this, or it will be the end of you."

Trevor nodded silently at Shudo's proclamation. He expected something like this, but the look in Shudo's eyes could not be mistaken. Shudo was really… scared? Trevor surmised. Shudo leaned back in his seat, and took out his datapad. He punched a few codes onto the screen, and handed Trevor a picture of a red skinned, flat nosed creature. This creature wore a leather cap on its head, wore a leather jerkin, and seemed to be sitting back in a seat on some unnamed cantina corner. It seemed as if this creatures lips could not cover its teeth. It seemed as if one of the teeth was colored differently, but it could have just be the quality of the picture. Everything seemed to have a red tinge to it, and Trevor shook with fear. The face contained undisguised malice and Trevor knew that the Council's fears for Trevor's safety were not unfounded.

"This is Irrymahd, a very dangerous being. The short version of the story is that I attempted to capture this, . . . creature," Shudo spat, "evaded every trap I had set for him. This thing killed nearly fifty people in six weeks. No one was able to even come close. I nearly died in the last encounter with it. I must have done something right, because this is the first time in over two decades that he's been seen in public. We are going on to Metallos to follow the Deshade. That will be your priority. Do not attempt to follow this creature should you see it. You will not be able to handle this. I mean no disrespect, Trevor but I was already a Knight, and I nearly died in my last encounter with it. I want you to make it to your Trials."

Shudo gave Trevor a stern look as Trevor regarded Irrymahd's countenance. Trevor returned the datapad back to Shudo and nodded solemnly. Shudo's monologue gave enough warning that Trevor did not even dare respond with a question. There was no question smart enough to answer, so Trevor would do his best to meet his Master's request.

"Master, how far is Metallos? I am not familiar with it?"

"Metallos is within the Core Region, so it is not far. However, the system is what many would term 'the dirty brother to Coruscant'. It has about half the population and one-tenth of Coruscant. There is no large city like Coruscant, but … well, you'll have to experience it for yourself. We leave within the hour."

Shudo and Trevor sat in silence, finishing their tea. Trevor sat thinking about the last time he met the Deshade and he wondered if he was stronger than the last time.

Trevor finished getting ready, pulling his gear together. As he was placing his lightsaber on his belt, it dawned on him that Shudo was extremely serious during their tea. Shudo was usually a bit more jovial with Trevor, but this time it was certainly much different. Trevor looked down at his belt, and realized that he needed to know just how dangerous this mission was. Something needed to be done to test Shudo's apprehension level.

Shudo, early on in Trevor's training, told him that whenever he needed something from Shudo's apartment he could take as long as they were paired together. Trevor also recalled that his old lightsaber was still in Shudo's apartment. Shudo had mentioned to him that if he needed it, he could get it at anytime. Shudo had stored it in a small closet near the front door.

Trevor entered Shudo's darkened apartment. Apparently Shudo was already at the _Phoenix_ and might even be waiting for Trevor. Trevor opened the closet and quickly located the weapon. Trevor's sight also spied half a dozen training remotes. Trevor looked at the remotes, and immediately found a sack to place them inside. Trevor left the apartment and raced down to the hanger bay, where the ship was already in prelaunch. Trevor looked around the hanger bay, and noticed a familiar face. He waved quickly and hurried up the landing ramp, which started to close as he reached it.

Trevor climbed into his seat next to Shudo on the bridge moments later. "Sorry I'm late, Master."

Shudo waved at Trevor, "Not a problem, Trevor. You must have a good reason."

"Yes, Master. I would to ask you a favor, if you wouldn't mind. I would like to have you set these training remotes on the setting that you feel would be appropriate for this mission."

Shudo turned his massive head toward Trevor and nodded. "Leave them here and I will set them for you."

Trevor left the bridge and headed to the kitchen lounge in the back. He pulled out both lightsabers and walked through some simple lightsaber drills with the blade extinguished. The movements felt awkward and funny, but Trevor did not want to caught unaware. Knowing that the Dashade were bred assassins did not sit well. A disturbance in the Force notified Trevor that the training remotes were circling around him. He ignited both blades, blue and white blazing in the small lounge. He began a fluid dance, slicing through the air, deflecting laserfire as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, the remotes got through his defenses early and often. The stings of the remotes were the hardest he had ever felt. Knowing that if he didn't recover his defenses soon he would be unconscious, Trevor disengaged Shudo's blue blade and cast it aside. White light dominated the room as Trevor's blade whirled around, knocking laserfire around the room, causing acrid smoke to build up in the lounge area. As suddenly as it started, all six remotes floated towards the forward door, into Shudo's bag.

"I believe that you work best with only one blade, Trevor."

The white blade retreated into the simple handle. "I was trying to expand my horizons, Master. I just need more practice."

"We shall see how well your practice has helped you. Rest now, we still have some time before reaching our destination."

The _Crystal Phoenix_ emerged from hyperspace into the Metallos sector. Shudo took control of the Phoenix and headed directly towards the planet surface. Trevor took note of the planet surface. Where Coruscant had towering cityscapes, only a few tall buildings could be seen. The rest of the city was single- or double-story buildings. As the ship landed, Trevor noticed that the buildings had grungy tarps hanging from the building front. There seemed to be a dirty feel to the entire area. Everyone kept their covering up, so faces could not be seen. Trevor headed towards the landing ramp and met Shudo just outside the Phoenix. Both Jedi put their hoods up. Trevor still smiled to himself when Shudo walked with his hood up. But there were other tall cloaked figures around, so Shudo didn't actually stand out that much.

Shudo marched down the ramp, and Trevor had to run to catch up. The pair walked amongst the population for the next hour. There were certainly plenty of sights to see, but the people interested Trevor the most. On Coruscant, everyone kept their faces up and forward, acted friendly and a bit stuck up, depending on what part of the city you were in. However, denizens of Metallos kept their faces downcast. There were no throngs of children running happily. Everyone here seemed to live within his or her meager means.

Trevor kept looking around, knowing they were there to find the Dashade and the Irrymahd. Trevor kept getting turned around in the crowd, but keeping up with Shudo was become more difficult as the crowds got thicker. Trevor turned behind him at one point to check to see if anyone was following. Nothing looked familiar so he turned back. Shudo had taken a sudden right turn, heading away from the main street. Trevor tried to reach him, but a sudden throng of people blocked his way. Trevor started to berate himself, when his comlink vibrated. He turned into an alcove so as not to block the flow of traffic.

"Trevor here."

"Keep moving in the direction that you were traveling. I have sense something and I need to have you continue on the task at hand. Do not follow me. And contact me if anything out of the ordinary comes up.

"Yes, Master." Disappointment and excitement shook through Trevor like a minor earthquake. He wanted to continue with Master Shudo, but the mission was just as important. Trevor put his comlink back onto his utility belt, and merged with the growing crowd.

Trevor continued to walk a straight line for nearly three kilometers. Nothing was catching his interest at all. 'I am missing something, I can feel it,' thought Trevor. He searched for a place to pull off and noticed an entryway to an abandoned building. He sat down on the stoop, and concentrated. He adjusted his vision to search down three alleys. The first two showed Trevor nothing he could use. However the third time was definitely the charm. Trevor redirected his sight down the third alley. It branched left and right. The left side showed a dead end, but the right alleyway showed a tall, cloaked figure, broad shouldered, and walking briskly. What drew Trevor's attention were the hands. The hands had only three appendages, and were greenish-grey in color. Trevor connected the hands to being similar to the Dashade race. The figure turned around, checking over his shoulder. At that point, Trevor knew that he'd found the Dashade, but why was he walking down a back alley? It made sense since this race was supposed to be extinct. Trevor felt that this Dashade would lead him to the Sith artifact.

Trevor got up from his alcove and walked out into the street. He worked his vision in such a way that he could raise his point of view in the Force to show both the direction of the Dashade and himself. The city layout presented a fairly unique picture. While most of the streets were perpendicular to each other, some ran diagonally across the main thoroughfare. Trevor walked cautiously, but kept pace with the Dashade. At one point, Trevor crossed paths with it, and he paused just long enough to not be seen by the Dashade. Trevor exhaled and continued to follow, getting no closer than a hundred meters.

They continued into the depths of the city for another hour. Trevor's vision showed a deep pit ahead, and the Dashade seemed to be heading for it. Trevor kept back, continuing his watch from a distance. The pit loomed, and the Dashade headed directly for a cantina. Trevor could not make out the name, but he had to keep in contact. Trevor's location was a bit perilous as it was currently out in the open. Trevor found a small doorway in which he could sit unnoticed. A small café was just down the street, and Trevor purposefully kept his back to it. Trevor adjusted his sight one more time to the front door of the cantina. He pushed his vision through the door, and searched for his quarry.

The dark room was not surprising so Trevor shifted his vision again to give the room a brighter appearance. The Dashade was found just sitting down at a round, darkened booth. Trevor moved his sight towards the booth, and was bombarded with waves upon waves of malice and evil. Trevor's body shook nearly two hundred meters away, but continued to press on. After adjusting again, the booth became illuminated. The Dashade had his face into the booth. Just to the right of the booth, was a man who looked like he was sleeping. However, the dried blood on his head was definitely an indication that he was either dead, or nearly so. Trevor looked to the back of the booth, and nearly choked himself. Sitting there was Irrymahd. The datapad Shudo had shown him was not nearly good enough to show how disgusting and mean this creature was. Irrymahd had a few more scars on his face, but the blunt nose and the open mouth were very much a part of his make-up. Trevor couldn't hear the conversation, but the Dashade seemed to be a bit scared of Irrymahd, and Irrymahd in return, seemed very relaxed and, daresay, happy.

Trevor's stomach flipped three times before he could get it under control. He felt around his utility belt for his comlink, and from memory dialed up Shudo's comlink.

"Trevor? Is everything alright?" Shudo's voice reached his ears.

"Master, what is your location? I have some news that you might want to hear."

"I am nearing the Metallos Pit. Why?"

"I found the Irrymahd."

Silence greeted Trevor's ears, and he needed to continue.

"I found a Dashade, and followed it. It walked to the Pit, and entered a seedy cantina, where he walked to a corner booth, and I am currently watching the two have a conversation. I can't hear anything and I am not in direct contact with the cantina. I am about two hundred meters away in a small alcove." More silence. "Have I done something wrong, Master?"

"No, my padawan. You've done well. Keep watch. Let me know if things change." Trevor sensed a bit of relief in the voice as well. "I thought for a moment … It is of no consequence. Keep your vision on him, and do not move."

"Yes, Master."

Trevor turned off his comlink and placed it back on his belt. The two subjects were just talking, rather animatedly. Trevor wished for a moment that he could hear what they were saying, but it probably was not in a language that he'd understand. Trevor got himself comfortable in his alcove and prepared for long wait.

A change in the Irrymahd's attitude stopped Trevor in his tracks. Irrymahd suddenly raised his hand to stop the Dashade from speaking, and he turned around as if looking for something. Irrymahd closed his eyes and Trevor realized that he was a Force-sensitive. Trevor grabbed the comlink from his belt and was nearly finished with Shudo's frequency when Irrymahd's face became nearly berserkish. Trevor imagined a snarl coming from Irrymahd's mouth as Irrymahd stood up, causing the Dashade to back away from the table. The rest of the patrons looked over quickly, and just as fast, put their faces to their cups. Trevor got up from his location and started to head towards the cantina as he spoke into his comlink.

"Master, Irrymahd has noticed something. He is searching for someone, I think."

Shudo's voice was tense over the comlink. "Irrymahd may sensed my presense. What is he doing now?"

Trevor watch Irrymahd get up from the booth, and bolt out of the cantina. Irrymahd looked around, sniffed and turned.

"He's leaving the cantina and heading in a southerly direction."

"My presense was not hidden well enough, he sensed me. I need to get off the street. Continue following the Dashade. Leave Irrymahd to me."

"May the Force be with you, Master."

Shudo did not respond due to the preparations he was taking, Trevor presumed. Trevor watched as Irrymahd turn a corner, moving east, and turned his vision back to the Dashade. The Dashade, on the other hand, seemed to be frenzied. He immediately left the cantina and headed north. Trevor moved quicker and switched back and forth so that he would not trip on the occational stone, rock or crack in the structures. He did not want to lose the Dashade and this would certainly constitute losing him if the Dashade suddenly disappeared. It only took a couple of minutes to get to the Pit. The Dashade had turned east as well, going around the Pit. Trevor thought that was odd, but maybe he might be going to get some reinforcements. The Dashade walked nearly the length of the street and turned right into a three story apartment-type building. When the Dashade entered the building, Trevor quickened his pace and moved to the alleyway on the west side of the building. Trevor's vision showed that the Dashade headed through the building, towards an apartment on the southeast corner. Trevor followed the Dashade into the apartment, where a new surprise awaited him.

Two more Dashades were sitting on sleeping cots in the corner of the main room. The first was very animated, probably discussing what had just transpired in the cantina. The three turned around and started talking to an fourth that emerged from the kitchen area. This one seemed to be a bit bigger and more in control of the others. This one, Trevor nicknamed _Leftenant_, took the information and started to digest the information. Trevor was not sure what he should do at this point, but if they decided to leave the building, Trevor needed to keep them slowed down. Trevor switched his vision back to himself, and walked directly into the front door. Trevor saw three apartments on the left side of the hallway, and two on the right. Not knowing who was in the building, Trevor used his sight to search the apartments quickly. There were no other Dashades in the building and the residents here did not seem to be involved with them at all. Trevor noticed a turbolift next to the front door.

To make their escape more difficult Trevor decided that he would make their options severly limited. Trevor took out his lightsaber and pointed it at the turbolift controls. He activated his weapon, causing the blade to extend directly into the panel. It exploded with a quick _pop_ and Trevor immediately shut down the blade. After returning the blade to his belt, he closed the main door and locked that from the inside. Feeling that this entrance would be unusable by the Dashade, he tried to sneak his way down the corridor. Unfortunately, his foot kicked a foodstuff canister down the corridor, causing quite a racket. With a quick thought, Trevor whipped out his collapsible walking stick, and extended it with a quick snap of the wrist. He had reached the door to the Dashade's apartment when it whipped open. Leftenant stuck his head out, blaster by his side. When Leftenant put his gaze on Trevor, Trevor continued with the charade of a blind man. Trevor noticed that another small canister was near his foot, and he purposefully kicked it. Leftenant snarled and closed the door, dismissing Trevor as some old blind beggar.

Trevor exhaled slowly and exited the apartment with no further incident. The back side of the apartment building lead onto a docking area, where three large transport ships were lined up next to one another. A warehouse could be seen nearly one hundred meters away. The pit was about fifteen meters from Trevor's location due north. The platform opened directly onto the Pit.

Once ouside, Trevor immediately turned to the right, west. He took his cloak off and crouched down. His vision, when he returned it to the apartment, showed all four Dashades loaded for a battle. Trevor reached down and grasped his lightsaber, getting himself ready for anything.

The four Dashade emerged from the apartment and headed right towards the exit Trevor just left. They walked past Trevor without even noticing him. The four split up into two groups; Leftenant and one walking purposefully towards the warehouse, and the other two ran into the nearest transport ship. Trevor only had to wait about two minutes before a steady beat of metal on metal could be heard coming from the transport ship. 'What? More battle droids?' thought Trevor.

The battle droids that exited the transport were not what he'd seen before. The legs were spindly like the droids he met before, but the bodies were closer to humanoid shape than before. These were also taller, and seemed to have two sets of blaster arms. The droids marched down the ramp in unison. After walking five meters away from the ship, they turned hard left towards Leftenant and partner. Trevor could feel a familiar disturbance in the force; Master Shudo was engaged in battle. Trevor pinpointed Shudo's location as being in the warehouse across the platform. Now, Trevor had a problem. The Dashade were split up and they were extremely tough opponents. Two were headed towards Master Shudo and Irrymahd, which Trevor supposed that Shudo could handle, but even a Jedi Master needed help.

The battle droids were nearly halfway to the warehouse when Trevor acted. He grabbed a liquid cable dispenser, and jammed it into the wall of the building. He pushed the firing button and a long thread of cable reached out and snagged the center droid. Trevor activated his lightsaber, and with the audible _snap-hiss_, he stood up and ran towards the droids. Two of the droids noticed the cables and turned to see what was stopping them. They immediately raised their arms, and four blaster rifles were staring Trevor in the face. Undeterred, Trevor slowed to a walk, lightsaber at the ready. The droids fired four shots directly at Trevor. Trevor redirected three of them, all scored on their original target. The third droid turned around at the sound of blaster fire and fired two shots as well. Trevor rolled under the shots and moved forwards another few meters. The droids adjusted their fire and Trevor redirected four more shots back at the droids. The middle droid dropped after having its two laser blasts directed at its torso. The trailing droid had a shot nearly take off it's head, but it still continued to try to cut Trevor down. However, it never got the chance. Trevor had moved close enough to slice down the torso, from neck to hip. The first droid fired nearly point blank, but Trevor defended himself and the final droid collapsed in a heap after Trevor zigzagged his next thrust through the droid.

The first Dashade group had made it to the warehouse. Leftenant climbed the stairs and saw Trevor cut down the final droid. He barked instructions, and the remaining Dashade wheeled around, back towards the transport. He came out of the entrance firing away. Luckily Trevor's senses were on high alert and the blaster fire went harmlessly by Trevor. Trevor moved forward, engaging the Dashade head on. The Dashade continue to fire at Trevor. This encounter, however, was much different than the last. Trevor redirected every other shot back at him, cause more damage to be done by its own weapon then by anything Trevor could have done. The Dashade was well overmatched by Trevor's defenses. Trevor moved quickly to within a three meter reach, and ended the Dashade's life. Trevor felt the Force flowing through him and the fading force of the Dashade. Trevor saluted the Dashade in his death to send him to the Force. A steady metallic noise caused Trevor to turn his attention back to the transport ship.

Two more battle droids were starting to head down the ramp, moving at a slow steady space. Trevor ran towards the ship, knowing that at least two more Dashade were inside. There seemed to be more droids than originally thought. Trevor's blade whipped around him in a defensive circle. The droids did not even recognize that he was a threat until he sliced open a droid from stem to stern. The second droid could not get its blaster into place as Trevor cut off both arms from the torso in an acrobatic move that was very similar to a training routine he'd done with Master Yoda a long time ago. The remaining Dashade saw a Jedi at the bottom of the ramp and they too let loose a barrage of blaster fire. The laser shots were nearer to the mark, but Trevor was able to evade most. He even returned their fire back at them, but it did not connect with any living form.

Trevor moved up the loading ramp towards the main docking doors. The Dashade were situated in a classic cover fire formation. A Dashade was near the entrance door, while the second was giving cover fire from behind a cargo container. Trevor recognized the situation immediately and quickly formed a plan of action. He boarded the ramp, redirecting laser fire back towards the attacker, giving himself some time to get up the ramp. The closest Dashade fired three times at Trevor. The first two shots were directed at the covering Dashade and the last Trevor sent back to the original attacker. When both Dashade went for cover, Trevor raced up the ramp and moved towards the side of the closest Dashade. Trevor then thrust the blade through the ramp doors. A loud grunt could be heard on the inside of the cargo bay. Trevor moved his blade and the body of the Dashade fell directly into the doorway.

The second Dashade realized that the Jedi was prepared and laid out a barrage of laser fire. Trevor deflected more than his fair share of laser fire. Out of the ten shots that the Dashade sent at him, Trevor redirected nine of them. All nine connected with some sort of equipment. The Dashade's blaster pistol was getting hot, and definitely low on power. He tried to grab another pistol. When he turned around, Trevor had run towards the hiding spot. Trevor timed his leap just as the Dashade emerged from his concealment. Trevor spun around in midair and landed behind the Dashade. The white blade split the Dashade nearly in two and it fell into a heap without being able to fire another shot.

Trevor disengaged his blade, and reflected quickly on his actions. They were born of desperation and a need to protect his Master and himself. However, there was still one more Dashade out there. Trevor was not sure if Shudo needed help, but wanted to follow his master's instructions. Trevor walked down the transport loading ramp and gazed at the warehouse. He concentrated on Shudo's lifeforce. Sensing Shudo was still there and in basically one piece, he maneuvered his vision up the back stairs, where Leftenant had entered, through a door, and into a large open area on the top floor of the warehouse, which was a large open area. Trevor's point of view showed a very different scene than what Trevor expected.

Shudo Laan had been a Jedi Master for many years and he needed every gram of experience to even be alive against Irrymahd. The two combantants had been battling for nearly fifteen minutes and the tension of the standoff was showing on both of their faces. Trevor noticed that Shudo was a neutral green color, with bits of red and orange flashing through his skin. Shudo's green blade whizzed through the air, blocking large pieces of debris, paristeel beams and any thing else Irrymahd needed keep Shudo more than arm's length away.

Irrymahd on the other hand looked angrier than Trevor had ever seen. The beast was nearly five meters tall, dwarving even Shudo. A large five-meter beam was in his arms and he was swinging it like a club at Shudo. Neither combatant could gain an advantage. Trevor noticed that Leftenant was crouched behind a storage container and was taking aim at Shudo. He nearly called out to Shudo, but he did not want to break his concentration. Shudo, however, did not need Trevor's assistance. As soon as Leftenant had a bead, he fired his weapon. Shudo, without even looking back, swung his blade over his head and parallel with his back, deflecting the shot back at Leftenant. The shock on the remainder of leftenant's face gave credence to Shudo's abilities.

Irrymahd and Shudo continued to dog one another for a few minutes more. As Irrymahd waved the beam like a club, Shudo took over half-meter pieces each time it swung close to him. Irrymahd got fed up with the beam and threw it at Shudo. Shudo ducked down and the beam went crashing into the wall, causing the brick and mortar to explode in a shower of debris on the outside. Shudo took a deep breath and moved into close combat range. Irrymahd, however, had a bit of a surprise for him. Irrymahd closed his eyes, reached out his hand, and blue lightning reach out of Irrymahd's hand and headed straight for Shudo's head. Shudo raised his lightsaber in defense and the lightning caught directly on Shudo's blade. Shudo moved in again, and Irrymahd fired Force lightning at the Anx once again. However, Shudo had a surprise of his own. Shudo reached out his hand, and captured the lightning into his hand. Shudo closed his eyes and the lightning dissipated right in front of Trevor's sight. Shudo then reached out his hand, and Irrymahd suddenly flew through the air, crashing through the outer wall and falling nearly forty meters onto a landing platform over the pit. Trevor switched his vision back to his point of view, and walked down the ramp, lightsaber drawn and lit. Irrymahd was definitely dazed, and Shudo walked up to the edge of the opening and followed downward, landing on his feet graceful as a cat. Shudo advanced on Irrymahd, saber up and ready. Irrymahd got to his feet slowly, still stunned by the sudden drop. Shudo whipped around, Irrymahd putting up a feeble defense, and Shudo slashed directly through Irrymahd's left shoulder, downwards to the right hip and through. Irrymahd took a step back, teetering on the edge. Shudo raised his hand one more time, and Irrymahd fell backwards, falling down into the Pit. The Pit was rumored to be bottomless. Trevor could not tell as he never heard the sound of Irrymahd's body crashing into anything. Shudo's breathing quickened as if he were physically exhausted. However, he twisted his neck around, saluted and, with a quick flick of his wrist, turned off the lightsaber and replaced it onto his belt.

Trevor walked over to the end of the platform and waited for his Master to step away from the edge where Irrymahd tumbled. Trevor sensed a great deal of anguish from Shudo over killing another, but Shudo also had a profound sense of peace about him. Knowing that it was kill or be killed seemed to sit well with Shudo. Shudo turned and saw his padawan at the end of the ramp.

"Been busy, Master?" Trevor knew that even slight levity help him when he needed it.

"Just a little, Padawan." Slight yellow coloring could be seen around the eyes and just under Shudo's crest.

"Master, you look tired." Trevor rested his hand upon Shudo, and attempted a Jedi healing skill. Shudo stood still, letting his padawan help. Shudo smiled at his padawan, knowing that he was trying to help. Shudo also realized that Trevor had not been successful in performing the task. Trevor realized immediately that he was not successful. Shudo placed his hand on Trevor. "Fear not, my padawan. Not all of the Jedi skills we have at our disposal work all the time. I appreciate your concern. Now, let me ask you. Have you been busy?"

Trevor took a few minutes to explain what took place and the pair walked towards the transport.

"I have not investigated the transport, Master. I was waiting for you finish your task." Trevor snickered, making light of the situation at hand.

"Well, since I'm done my task, let's see what information we can gather."

First the Jedi entered the apartment of the Dashade. Trevor was hoping to find the missing Sith artifact in the apartment, but no luck. In fact, nothing in the apartment even gave a clue as to who hired them. The Jedi pair then entered the transport's cargo bay, and were surprised by the amount of shipping containers were stored here. A smaller cargo container was opened, showing five empty droid silhouettes. Three more of these containers appeared in the cargo bay. Shudo directed Trevor to investigate the bridge of the ship. Trevor left the cargo bay and attempted to find out more information about the ship. Trevor's skills with computers came in handy, and he was able to get into the ship's astrogation computer. There were four recent entries into the log, but Trevor was unable to make them coherent. He searched the rest of the ship for any information regarding the owner. However, the computer systems seemed to be up to date. Trevor went back to report to Shudo what he found. Shudo was waiting for him in the cargo hold.

"It would seem that this transport was going somewhere." Shudo opened a rack where five more battle droids were stored. "There are more in those two containers. It would seem someone was supposed to get this as a shipment of some sort. We need to take this ship back to Coruscant."

"Master, I do not think I can handle this ship on my own, if that is what you were thinking."

"Actually, you wouldn't be handling it alone. E5 would be assisting you."

"That makes me feel better. My astrogation skills need honing."

"So does your flying, but that is another time." Shudo's yellow coloring came back in full swing.

"Master, please. I was still making payments on that ship." Trevor winked at Shudo.

"Contact E5 and have him meet us here."

The _Crystal Phoenix_ arrived in short order, and E5 wheeled itself down the ramp towards the transport ship. Trevor and E5 went right to work on changing the designator of the ship to _Emerald Unicorn._ Shudo went aboard the Phoenix to prepare for take off. Trevor and E5 calculated the jump time, and with the Crystal Phoenix's computer system, double checked the coordinates and times. E5 squawked at Trevor, letting him know that he was ready to take off. Trevor nodded to E5, and contacted Shudo.

"Master, we are ready to take off when you are."

"We'll see you back on Coruscant, Trevor."

The trip back to Coruscant took longer than the trip to Metallos. Each ship with a hyperspace engine had different speed in which it could travel. The lower the rating on the ship, the faster it could travel. Unfortunately, the transport could only move at half the speed of the _Phoenix_. During the two hour trip back to Coruscant, Trevor reviewed the entire mission. It seemed as if there was something missing in the entire scheme of things. Trevor felt that some where, someone was getting some very good information, and if it wasn't going to be recovered quickly, innocent people would get hurt, and so would the Jedi Order.

Entry into the Jedi Temple was completely routine. Shudo had called when they entered Coruscant space, and a cadre of Jedi technicians were on hand to unload the transport. E5 and Trevor landed the transport in a rarely used hanger so as to make it easier to have search teams investigate every inch of the ship.

As Trevor exited the transport, Shudo waved him towards the turbolifts. E5 twittered at Trevor, and Trevor waved him towards the _Phoenix_. E5 whistled an affirmative, moving smoothly off to complete his tasks. Trevor walked towards the lifts and noticed that Shudo was standing near the Council's lift. Shudo opened the door without a word, and the two entered. Trevor was a bit tired from the mission and was still not comfortable in this role. Shudo stared straight ahead, his thoughts to himself. Trevor could read nothing but calm on Shudo.

The doors opened to the waiting area, and the chamber's doors were already open in anticipation of the comrades. The entire council was present for them, which Trevor found odd. At least two of the Council members had been on missions recently. Shudo strode into the chambers, and Trevor took his usual place on the first light colored ring. Shudo took up most of the center rings.

"Requested this meeting, you did Master Shudo. What is your report?" prompted Yoda.

"Master, I would like to give you a full accounting of the mission, but not from my eyes. I request that my Padawan, Trevor Gul'dan, give this debrief."

Trevor's stomach twitched and his skin crawled at Shudo's request. 'I got a bad feeling about this,' Trevor thought.

Master Ki-Adi-Mundi spoke up. "Master Shudo, this is highly irregular."

"My apologies, Master Mundi, but the reasons will be clear by the end of the briefing."

Shudo turned towards Yoda and Mace Windu. The pair looked at one another in anticipation. Trevor noticed that Windu even raised an eyebrow as if to say, "Well, should we allow this to happen?"

Yoda turned towards the rest of the Council as well. Trevor kept his eyes on Yoda and the green Jedi Master turned towards Shudo. "Unusual this request is, Master Shudo. However, interested we are in hearing from your padawan."

Shudo turned towards Trevor and motioned him forward. "Now, Trevor, please give the Council a FULL accounting of the events on Metallos."

Trevor swallowed what seemed to be a Bantha-sized portion of air, and stepped forward. For the next fifteen minutes, Trevor gave Shudo and the Council the entire mission that he was involved in. When Trevor mentioned parts where Shudo had intersected his story, Shudo filled in the gaps on what he had been doing. Trevor's story about the death of Irrymahd was enhanced by Shudo's accounting. Trevor's voice wavered at the end, and Yoda raised his gimer stick cane to halt Trevor's dissertation.

"Performed well you have on this mission, Trevor Gul'dan. However, pieces missing from your story there are. Not mentioned your mission to Ilum was. Your mission successful it was?" Yoda's eyes bore into Trevor. Trevor felt Yoda's calming presence in his thoughts, and he bowed his head toward Yoda.

"With the Council's blessing, I would like to show you the results of my work at Ilum." Bowing to Masters Yoda and Windu, Trevor performed a Jedi salute with his lightsaber, activating it as it reached the apex. The collective awe in the Chamber was palpable. Trevor walked around the Chambers, stopping in front of the twelve members individually to allow them to inspect his lightsaber. From Yoda, he turned in a counter clockwise fashion ending with Master Windu. Each of the Council members bowed his or her head in acknowledgement of the feat Trevor had performed. Very few lightsabers had distinct qualities, only Mace Windu had a unique blade color. Trevor's blade coloring was truly distinct and it cause Mace Windu to exclaim, "Whoa." Trevor's skin crawled again on that proclamation, and disengaged the blade. He handed it to Master Windu for closer examination. Mace examined the hilt and the components. Yoda requested a closer inspection also, and Master Windu handed it to him without additional comment. Yoda looked the lightsaber over and nodded very clearly.

"Well done, Padawan Gul'dan. Very well done! Be mindful, this weapon part of you, and you part of it. Good care of it you must take." Yoda got down from his seat and walked towards Trevor.

"Ready, you are, for the Trials, I think. Hmm?"

Trevor's knees trembled with anticipation. It was time for him to go through the Jedi Trials? Is that what Master Shudo has been doing lately?

"Master, I thank you for this opportunity."

"Thank us not, for you need to prepare yourself. Take some time, Trevor Gul'dan. Remember your lessons, review them, and we will contact you when we are ready to begin," instructed Master Depa Billaba, who spoke to Trevor for the first time.

Trevor bowed to Yoda and to the other Council members, and stepped back to his normal place just behind Shudo. However, Shudo turned slightly and motioned Trevor to stand next to him. Trevor's lips could not completely hide the lopsided grin that came unbidden to his face. The next thought that entered Trevor's head was 'How do I prepare for something that I know nothing about?'

Shudo and Trevor stood silently with each other in the middle of the Council chambers, not having been dismissed yet. Yoda returned to his chair, grunting as he climbed back to his normal spot. Yoda nodded to Shudo, and the Anx returned the bow, turned and motioned Trevor out of the Council chambers. The pair exited the Chambers without a word, back to their quarters. Trevor's thoughts were on the upcoming Trials, and wondered how he would fair. Shudo had trained him well, and he had let Trevor perform more of the tasks during the last few missions. Trevor could certainly handle a lightsaber as well as constructing his own, two of the tasks necessary to become a full-fledged Jedi Knight. The remainder of the tasks still remained in front of Trevor, and he knew he would need to continue his studies. Maybe the rest of this clan could give him a clue as to where review was needed.


	6. Chapter 6

TRIAL OF A JEDI

For the next five days, Trevor's life became more stressful than ever before. The novelty of the Council's pronouncement that he was prepared to take the Trials had quickly worn off. That first day, rumors spread that a Nexu Padawan had been told to prepare for the Trials. The remaining members of Trevor's Nexu Clan were overjoyed to hear that another of their members was to take the Trials. That evening's meal was the most rowdy in a long time, Trevor thought. The talk was congratulatory and a bit louder than most nights. Many of the other clans took part in the celebrations as well, just to be nearer to the newly popular Miraluka. However, the celebrations were short-lived. Lessons needed to be reviewed, and class assignments that had fallen behind needed to be caught up. Trevor had always been a decent student, and he felt that these lessons might not be useful for the Trials, but they were necessary nonetheless.

The next two days were spent with his normal routine of drills, lessons and research. Trevor enjoyed the drills and dreaded the research. Each research assignment took longer each year and this week, Trevor could hardly keep his mind on the task at hand. Questions of how to prepare kept going through his mind, interrupting his tasks. Trevor spent more time each day meditating on the ways of the Force, and having a hard time sleeping each night. On the fifth morning, Trevor awoke with a desire to release his tension. He gathered his robes and lightsaber, stormed from his quarters and proceeded directly to the Jedi obstacle course. The obstacle course was used to train younger padawans in the ways of the Force. Barriers and other objects were placed on the course to train padawans to predict opponents and to use the Force in battle situations. Trevor detested the course as a younger Padawan, but the need for physical activity overrode Trevor's dislike.

Trevor went to the control room and asked the technician to set the obstacle course to the most difficult level. The technician raised his eyebrows, but did not ask any questions. Trevor took two minutes and cleared his mind completely, imaging the course and the ways to get around the obstacles. The Force flowed through him, giving him a premonition of the course ahead.

Shudo Laan awoke moments after Trevor left his room. The Jedi Master realized that Trevor's nerves were getting the best of him and moved quickly to follow his padawan. Knowing that Trevor had not been through this before caused some consternation for Shudo and the nervous energy he had felt from his padawan only increased Shudo's concern. Shudo walked to the obstacle course control room fifteen seconds before Trevor started the course. Shudo recognized the mantra Trevor was saying to himself. Shudo relaxed a bit, and regarded the technican.

"Master Shudo, he asked for the hardest level. I wanted to challenge him, but you said not to question him if he requested anything."

"Good, he needs to get his mind back on the task at hand."

Trevor felt a slight shift in the Force, realizing that Shudo was nearby. He blocked the feeling out, concentrating on the task at hand. The entire room was darkened, signaling Trevor to begin. Laserfire erupted from the upper portions of the corridor in front of Trevor. He ran forward, lightsaber ignited, deflecting the shots against the wall. He ran forward down the hall, gathering the Force to him, creating a well of power within him. Five more laser shots headed towards Trevor; however, he had jumped ahead with relative ease. Trevor continued to dodge, weave, jump, deflect and tumble his way across the obstacle course. Shudo watched his padawan, and realized that he was physically ready for the task that the Council would provide. Shudo did not even know of the Council's plan, but was convinced that Trevor would make a fine Jedi, provided he could pass the next part of the tests.

The midday meal was genuinely uneventful, but the company was certainly entertaining. Trevor contacted his clanmates who had already become Jedi Knights to pick their brains. Sitting on Trevor's left was R'We'Nok, a male Kajain'sa'Nikto. Next to him was Noa Aquila, a man of nearly Trevor's height. Both Noa and R'We'Nok worked out of the Jedi Temple on Coruscant and were very good friends with Trevor. Also at the table was Dutana N'kai, a female Arcona, and Kymber Thomree, a human woman who was Shudo's previous padawan. Kymber was unique by the fact that she took the Trials very early in her padawanship and passed with flying colors. Kymber and Trevor were very close in age, nearly two Standard years apart. Kymber was the elder, but the two shared the common bond of being Shudo's padawans. Kymber helped Trevor through many different assignments and was a superb mentor. Trevor felt that she would have been the consummate big sister so he had asked her to meet him for lunch. She and the others were waiting for Trevor to begin.

"Thank you all for taking your midday meal with me. I have a question to ask each of you. As you know I have been informed that I will be taking the Trials." Trevor took a deep breath at this point. "How did you all prepare for your Trials?"

Noa was the first to respond. "Trevor, these Trials are based on what you know of the Force. I had a hard time with parts of mine, but do not make any assumptions. My mission was to Alan help!

R'We'Nok nodded at Noa's dissertation. "I agree. The Masters want to challenge you in such a way to see how well you can adjust. Keep your wits about you. My mission had a bit of a twist in that …….. Alan, more help here.

The communications continued for nearly twenty minutes. Trevor relaxed, realizing that he was being just a bit childish. Every Padawan experiences these challenges, and they were even a little fearful. Trevor knew that he'd met the same opponent twice in the last four missions, and he'd improved quite a bit since then.

Trevor turned his face towards Kymber, giving her the impression that he was looking at her. "Kymber, what kind of mission would Shudo have for me?"

Kymber turned her blue eyes towards Trevor. She had the look of someone who wanted to tell everything. She knew Trevor wanted to be reassured, but also knew that Shudo would want Trevor to stay on edge to give him a better realization of what was at stake.

"Don't worry, Trevor. Shudo has made sure that you are ready for this. He's trained you and made you into who you are today. He has the full confidence that you will pass." In a louder voice, she said, "Haven't you, Master Shudo?"

Trevor whipped his vision around, and noticed Shudo Laan standing in the doorway of the cafeteria. Shudo's coloring was bright yellow, and a smile lit up his face. Trevor never even noticed Shudo's presence in the Force. Shudo nodded to Trevor and walked away. Trevor's face broke out into a smile. For all the worrying that he had been doing, Shudo would not have let him get this far on his own; he was ready.

The next day consisted of mostly research within the Jedi Archives. Trevor spent from sunrise to well through the afternoon researching a variety of topics, from a dissertation on how to use the Force to change people's thoughts to midichlorian tests. Jocasta Nu responded to every request Trevor asked about, and gave clear answers. Trevor was grateful for Nu's knowledge of the Archives and the answers he could find both from her and the rest of the archives. The late afternoon was dedicated to lightsaber drills. Trevor gave himself fully to the Force; going through every drill he had ever been taught. Some of the younger students stopped their drills and watched Trevor's motions. The white lightsaber cut through the air faster and faster, causing the blade to create a constant whine. The concentration was so intense that Mace Windu walked into the room, and Trevor never even noticed. The dark-skinned Jedi Weapons Master regarded the Padawan through the Force and was pleased to see that even his presense did not disturb him.

Trevor took his evening meal in his quarters. The solitude of the apartment was not overbearing and Trevor decided that he had enough of this and would do some meditation tomorrow to see if the Force would provide some answers. He cleaned up the flatware and turned in early. Sleep overtook him quickly and he slept soundly through the night.

Trevor's chronometer showed it was two hours past sunrise. Sleep fell away quickly. Trevor made himself a cup of stimcaf and ate sparingly. He cleaned up his dishes and dressed himself in a simple Jedi smock and loose fitting trousers. He cleared away most of the sparse furnishing in the living area and sat down in the middle of the room cross-legged. He placed his hands on his knees and changed his vision to 'see' nothing. He found during the years of meditation that having the Force to use as a way of seeing caused some problems for him when he needed to concentrate. He learned to 'shut his vision', similar to a human shutting her eyes. All he saw was blackness. He concentrated his mind on the Force and proceeded to follow the flow of the Force within himself and through his surroundings. Time had no meaning for Trevor as he became one with the Force through his meditation.

A sudden tweep-tweep from the door and a strong familiar presence within the Force energized Trevor. Master Shudo was standing outside his door.

"Trevor, the Council wishes to see you. Now. Come as you are."

Shudo turned immediately and walked towards the turbolifts. Trevor thought about running back into his apartment, but then realized that Shudo expected his command to be obeyed. So Trevor left his lightsaber in his room, feeling that he would not need it for this test. 'Well, what else could it be,' thought Trevor.

The turbolift doors opened to the waiting area of the Jedi Council. Sunlight streamed in from the paristeel above the waiting area. The sky seemed extra blue this day, but Trevor's thoughts were quickly corralled back to the present. 'Tension was not what was needed here today, calm,' thought Trevor. 'No matter how much I study, I must be ready for anything.' Trevor then began to repeat the Jedi Code, though simplistic, Trevor thought that the answers he would need could be found there. He repeated to himself, 'There is no emotion, there is peace; There is no ignorance, there is knowledge; there is no passion, there is serenity; there is no death, there is the Force.'

The entire Jedi Council waited Trevor's arrival. Shudo Laan stood by the entrance to the Council Chambers, just inside the archway, behind the seat of Yarael Poof. A Jedi Master was always present during the Triasl, both to see if his or her padawan would succeed but also to learn where they could better teach the ways of the Force to the next Padawan that they may have. Trevor walked directly to the center of the Chamber. He stood on the innermost circle within the design on the floor. There were many circles woven through the floor pattern, each circle designating the importance the speaker had to the Council members. Today, Trevor stood directly in the middle and faced Masters Yoda and Windu. Jedi Knight Ki-Adi-Mundi was to Yoda's right and Plo Koon sat next to Mace Windu.

"Welcome to our council, Trevor Gul'dan. You have been summoned here to take the Jedi Trials," began Mace Windu. "As you know, these Trials are given to those who are deemed ready to be recognized as Jedi Knights, protectors of peace throughout the galaxy. Are you prepared to begin?"

"Master, I am" was the simple reply; the only one Trevor could successfully get out of his suddenly dry mouth.

"Very well." Windu nodded his head to Yoda, and the wizened Jedi Master got down from his seat, and proceeded to guide a chest from behind his seat. He opened the chest and showed Trevor four globes, each of a milky white and the size of a training remote. Yoda lifted them up in his hand, and placed them directly on the ground in front of him. Yoda turned to Mace, and nodded.

"On the floor in front, as you can see, there are four globes. Each one has something in it. Please tell us which one contains a life force."

Trevor searched his memory to find the answer to the puzzle. Changing his vision to look inside each of the globes would not work because they would be too close for him to be able to focus, similar to a human holding something too close to her eyes. Trevor switched his vision to see the Force, and was rewarded with two positive Force readings. From Trevor's position, the right most globe seemed to be the one that was brightest, but the second from the left also had some Force readings from it. The presence was certainly powerful enough to be a living object, but Trevor realized that this presense was steady. Trevor looked at the globes through the force one more time, and pointed to the rightmost globe. "That one a has a life force in it."

Mace Windu nodded to Yoda, and Yoda proceeded to place the globes back into the case. When Yoda was done packing the globes, he turned towards Trevor. "Hide yourself from others you may have to. Cloak yourself from the Force you must do."

Trevor's mind raced. This seemed somewhat familiar; he'd done this when he was a youngling with…Master Yoda. He turned his face towards Yoda, who was watching Trevor, gauging when he'd be ready. Yoda had taught his Clan how to do this early on in their training. It actually had been a good time. The idea was to blanket yourself in the Force to protect you from someone else watching or sensing another through the Force. Trevor's memory filled with the technique when Yoda closed his eyes, beginning the test.

Yoda's Force sight discerned the different members of the Council. He saw Trevor's presence clearly in the Force. Yoda reached through the Force to touch the padawan's Force energy. Trevor immediately felt Yoda's gentle touch, and tried to cloak himself. However, Yoda was still able to sense Trevor's appearance. Trevor took a deep calming breath, and concentrated for a moment. Yoda saw him very clearly one moment, then had it slip away. Yoda reached forward through the Force to the place where Trevor was standing. Trevor gently redirected the push to another direction. The Jedi Instructor recognized that Trevor was completely shrouded from Force-sight, and nodded to Trevor. "Remembered your lessons you did," Yoda said, with a gentle cackle in his voice.

Trevor nodded to the aged Jedi Master, and waited patiently for him to return to his seat. However, Yoda surprised Trevor by walking back to the container of globes. He picked one up and held it in his hand. Turning around, he held the globe out to Trevor. "Open this you must. However, first unlock the secret of this globe to open its contents." Yoda realized that Trevor could use his sight from anywhere, so he adjusted the globe to cover the latch with his hands. Yoda and Trevor smiled at each other, and a laugh escaped Trevor. Yoda nodded at him to begin, and Trevor began to concentrate on the problem at hand. He could not look at the latch because Yoda was covering it. However, there was no limitation to Trevor taking the globe out of Yoda's hand. Trevor lifted his hand and attempted to pull the globe from Yoda's hand. Yoda's hand moved forward a few centimeters, but he pulled the globe back toward his body.

"Again." Yoda said simply. Trevor turned his head to the side, trying to look at the problem from a different angle. Suddenly the solution presented itself: Trevor realized that Yoda prevented him from pulling it from his hand. What about lifting it? Trevor reached out, turned his hand upward and lifted the globe from Yoda's hand. Yoda smiled, closed his eyes and nodded at Trevor. Trevor floated the globe across the room into his hand. The latch was simple and Trevor immediately opened the globe, curiosity getting the best of him.

The interior, however, was empty. Trevor searched the globe again to make sure he did not miss anything. Yoda turned his face toward Trevor. "The interior you must describe for the Council. What is in it?" Trevor thought about it, and was repeating the Jedi Code. Fortunately for him, the answer was in the Code. "The Force," replied Trevor. Yoda smiled at Trevor and nodded. Yoda turned to Mace Windu, and they both nodded to others.

"Trevor Gul'dan, you have made it through the first part of the Trials. Continue your studies and prepare for a mission. We will advise you of your next mission shortly. You are dismissed."

Trevor bowed to the Council and left the room with Master Shudo in tow. Not a word was said between Shudo and Trevor the entire way. Trevor wanted to ask, but Shudo shook his head at Trevor's unspoken request. The silence continued to Trevor's door. Shudo opened the door and motioned fro Trevor to walk in. As Trevor walked through the threshold, Shudo whispered, "Well done, Trevor. Well done indeed." And the door closed immediately after.

The next afternoon, Trevor was walking down the hallway of the Jedi Temple when he heard the familiar _click-clack_ of a gimer stick cane. Trevor stopped and waited for Master Yoda to catch up.

"Prepared you are, Trevor Gul'dan?"

"I am as prepared as I can be, Master Yoda. Everything I try and concentrate, something distracts me. I am focusing on my exercises, and Master Shudo has been very helpful. However, he's been very close lipped about what might be coming."

"In this, help you I can. A message you shall receive this evening. Your assignment has been chosen."

Trevor bowed to Yoda to mask the excitement that he was feeling in his stomach.

"Ready you think but be prepared for surprises, padawan."

"Yes, Master Yoda. I shall be prepared."

Yoda bowed to Trevor. "May the Force be with you!"

Trevor was cleaning up his apartment from his evening meal when his comstation twittered at him. Trevor bounded from the cleaning area to the door in a matter of seconds. The message looked odd, not having Shudo's name on it. The realization that he was nearing the final step in becoming a Jedi finally dawned on Trevor. He took a deep breath, and calmed himself before reading the mission brief. It read:

MISSION ASSIGNMENT

In six days, the daughter of King Dolimus Ulosa of the Therazzu species of Xeddon-Nine will arrive at the planet Pelior in the Mid Rim. She will be attending the twelfth-annual Cryslev Classic podrace. The Princess is a strong supporter of the famous Therazzu podracer, Zinonyx, and has arranged to attend the races despite the protests of the King. King Dolimus is currently dealing with numerous long-lasting political tangles, and has become suspicious of any alleged threats or possible dangers. The King currently suspects that he or his daughter may be the target of any variety of mercenaries, bounty hunters or assassins, despite the fact that he has no real evidence of such a plot. He fears that the Princess may be kidnapped or even assassinated in order to gain leverage against him.

The Council has agreed to provide a Jedi guardian for the Princess during her stay on Pelior. The threat risk is believed to be minimal, but the Supreme Chancellor has personally requested our assistance in a show of good faith toward the Therazzu regency. Travel to Pelior system via Whitecloak is estimated to take approximately 126 hours (5 days 6 hours). Immediate departure is recommended.

-END MESSAGE-

Detailed information about the Pelior system and Princess Azulia Ulosa were accessible as well. Trevor inserted a datacard and downloaded the information for better review later. He also made a request of the Jedi Archives for a list of all bounty hunters in the Pelior system within the most recent year. While the information was being retrieved, Trevor gathered his Jedi gear together. He placed his own lightsaber on his belt, and gathered up his older lightsaber, knowing that having two lightsabers is better than one. He placed it into a small sachel and headed out of his apartment. No one greeted him as he made his way towards the turbolift. The doors opened, discharging its passengers. Trevor entered alone, but feeling energized by the fact that he was able to gather what information he could. He pulled out his datapad and inserted the datacard with Pelior's information with the intent of reviewing it. However, the doors opened to the hanger bay much too quickly for Trevor's liking.

Shudo was waiting for Trevor in the Whitecloak landing area. The bay was crowded with many smaller ships in various displays of repair. Shudo was talking with a technician about something when Trevor neared. Shudo nodded to the tech and turned toward Trevor.

"Trevor, I wish you the best on this mission. I hope to be here when you get back. Good luck. May the Force be with you."

"Thank you, Master. May the Force be with you, also. I will see you upon my return."

Trevor opened the top hatch of the Whitecloak fighter and noticed that R2-E5 was strapped into the back seat of the ship. Trevor turned with surprise. "Master? E5 is coming along?"

"Yes, E5 is going with you. I felt that he would benefit you on your travels."

"I'll return him safely, Master"

"I know you will, Trevor. I must go. Good luck!"

Trevor entered the ship and stowed his gear in a compartment under his seat. E5 closed the hatch and began the start up sequence. Trevor requested clearance from the control tower and asked E5 to begin the engine start sequence. Shudo stood off to one side as the Whitecloak engines began to lightup. Trevor assisted E5 where he could, but knowing that his piloting skills could use some work he left the work to E5. E5 twittered that he was ready when the tower cleared Trevor for take-off. Once the platform had extended outside the Jedi Temple, the Whitecloak flew off into the Coruscant sky, heading up through the atmosphere towards the Jedi hyperspace windows. E5 and Trevor scanned for traffic and checked the area for their hyperspace window. Two green lights blinked in the distance, indiciating where the Whitecloak needed to go. E5 banked the fighter, lined it up with the indicators, and launched the Whitecloak into hyperspace. Trevor was now on his first solo mission.

The excitement of being on his first solo mission dissipated very quickly. Trevor pulled out the datapad and studied the Pelior system. The interesting part of the entire database was Pelior was an oceanic planet. Massive ice-floes littered the icy seas that covered the planet. One of the major export of Pelior was the repulsorlift technology that was common throughout the galaxy. Another interesting fact was that with the ice floes around the planet, each podrace would have a different configuration. Trevor also studied the face of Princess Azulia and noticed that the most interesting parts of the Therazzu species were the coloring of their skin and the long pointed ears. Princess Azulia stood approximately 1.65 meters in height and was about 23 standard years. The feline look of the Therazzu made them stand out in a crowd. Her face in the datapad showed grim determination, but not arrogance, which gave Trevor hope. He studied the data for nearly two hours. The trip was going to last five days, at least. Trevor decided that to make the journey faster, he would place himself in a Jedi meditative state that would keep him alive, without taxing the life support system.

"E5, notify me if something goes wrong, or we are half way to our destination, which ever comes first."

E5 whistled and beeped. The translator gave Trevor E5's positive response. Trevor smiled, leaned back, and let himself drift into the Jedi Trance for the next two days.

Trevor awoke to the gentle whistling of E5. It took Trevor nearly a minute to get reacquainted with his surroundings. Even though it had been nearly two days to reach this point, Trevor still felt the need to look around and adjust. E5's socket inside the fighter actually gave Trevor more room than normal. Trevor performed some stretching exercises to keep his muscles fresh. After querying E5 as to the status of the trip, which was normal, Trevor gave E5 instructions to wake up as they were about to come out of hyperspace. Trevor went back into his trance. E5 continued to pilot the ship, and recalculated the remainder of the trip, gaining time with each minor calculation.

The remainder of the trip was extremely boring to E5, if he were to have any feelings whatsoever. The fact that it was piloting a smaller ship made it easier for E5 to adjust their course and to get to their destination quicker. E5 twittered at Trevor three minutes before arrival in Pelior space. Trevor rotated his head around his neck after waking, and notice the chronometer that their trip took just under five days.

"Good work, E5. We've made it here early."

E5 responded, "Thank you. Time to sublight, one minute."

"Ok, let me take a handle at this. If I get into trouble, bail me out, okay?"

A few beeps and whistles from E5 caused Trevor to smile, after looking at the translator. "No, E5, I'm fine. I just feel like I need to do something."

Starlines turned to dots, and Pelior rushed into view. The large blue planet filled the view screen in moments, and Trevor could see that the information contained on the datapad was certainly correct. The entire planet was covered with water, from pole to pole. Giant icebergs were seen floating on the ocean surface. Trevor reviewed his datapad and questioned E5 as to the location of Pelior Station, the meeting place and headquarters for the Cryslev Podrace. Trevor followed the coordinates towards the station. Within three minutes, a large pyramid-shaped floating city floated in the middle of the ocean. Ships could be seen flying around the outside. The water was so clear that Trevor noticed the underside of the station dropped into the depths of the ocean. While circling the station, Trevor noticed that crystals of various sizes were floating up from the ocean depths. Recalling the information on his datapad, Trevor realized that these crystals must be the raw materials for repulsorlift technology.

Trevor was contemplating how the Peliorites gathered the crystals when the Pelior Station Traffic control made contact.

"Whitecloak Seven-Five-Nine, this is Pelior Station Traffic Contol. What is your destination?"

"Pelior Station Traffic Control, Whitecloak Seven-Five-Nine. I am looking for permission to land on Pelior Station. Authorization transmitting now."

"Trasmission received, Whitecloak Seven-Five-Nine. Welcome to Pelior. First time here TG?"

"Sorry for the sidetrip, Control. Yes, it is my first time here."

"Commence landing in section sub level 18. North landing area. You should be seeing the landing lights now."

Trevor had been circling the station about 10 kilometers away from the station in a counterclockwise fashion. The landing lights Control mentioned blinked quickly to Trevor's left. Trevor guided his ship through the initial landing area for larger capitol ships. Landing Control guided him to a shaft in the middle of the platform, which allowed him to hover the ship down into the bowels of the landing bay. Trevor dropped down seventeen levels when Landing Control told him to guide his ship forward and into an open area nearly fifty meters deeper into the station. Trevor landed the ship, and breathed deeply. The fact that the ship was no real worse for wear made Trevor feel that it was certainly a better trip than Ilum.

Trevor opened the canopy, and disembarked from the fighter. E5 started to leave the ship when Trevor waved him to stay put. E5 quickly questioned the reasons, and Trevor responded, "I need someone I can trust to watch the ship."

"I am the only one here"

"True, but who else could I trust?" With that, Trevor left E5 with the security of the Whitecloak. It would not make any sense to have the ship unattended, but no stone unturned, as Shudo would preach. Trevor walked towards the landing level dockhand, and asked the location of the landing control officer was. With immediate directions, Trevor made his way towards the upper levels.

The Landing Control Office was controlled chaos. Trevor entered the main office and no less than fifteen people were busily moving from one side of the room to the other. Trevor inquired as to where the landing master was located and immediately rewarded with the man himself. He was a tall human, with graying hair. Trevor introduced himself, and the two walked over to one side of the counter.

"I am wondering if the Princess Azulia Ulosa is supposed to arriving here soon, and I was wondering where her ship would be landing."

"Ah! I figured a Jedi like you'd want to know. Here on business, eh?"

Trevor just smiled at him, and the landing officer didn't push.

"It looks like she has not yet arrived. Would you like me to notify you when she does get here?"

"Yes, that would be fine. Here's my com frequency. Please let me know as soon as she has contacted you. I would like to there waiting for her when she arrives."

"No problem. Glad to help."

The two parted ways, and Trevor decided that he would take a walk around the station. Many supporters of the podracers entered were already gathering in the streets, dancing and parting. Trevor took a long trip around the station, and got acclimated with the surroundings. It wasn't much in the way of reconnaissance, but he didn't expect a great deal. Something, however, was nagging him. Why did the Council give him such an easy assignment? There had to be something deeper than just protecting the princess. Maybe there would be an attack on her life, but no evidence supported it. Never hurts to be careful.

Trevor spent the night in a sleeping berth near the main landing area. It was cheap, but comfortable. He awoke the next morning, ate a quick meal and paid his bills. He left the inn, as it was called, and headed towards the landing area. As he neared the main area, a call came in, notifying him that Princess Azulia's ship had just made contact, and would be landing in Docking Bay 5, along with Zinonyx's ship. The fact that both ships arrived together confirmed that Azulia was a strong supporter of Zinonyx. Trevor thought he might get to see what the great Zinonyx looked like, but reminded himself of his mission.

He walked into the docking bay at the same time that Princess' ship entered. Trevor stood by the main door, watching the ship land with ease. Trevor detached himself from the door when the loading ramp dropped down, discharging its passengers. Princess Azulia was certain very prominent in the group, as she stood dwarved by her entourage. Azulia's coloring was even more bluish than Trevor remembered, and she walked with a regal bearing, but not overly so. Trevor stopped four meters away from Azulia and her group.

"Princess Azulia, I am Trevor Gul'dan."

"You are the Jedi that was sent to protect me?" the princess inquired, sarcasm dripping from her voice.

"Yes, Your Highness. I have been assigned that task."

"It would seem that the Galactic Republic is trying to influence my father in some way."

"I would not know, Your Highness. My job is to protect you, and that is what I intend to do."

"Very well," Azulia nearly dismissed Trevor as being a nuisance when a tall man walked forward to Trevor. "The Princess may seem disinterested in your presence, Master Jedi, but I for one am glad to see you. Captain Davin Williams, I am with King Dolimus' security detachment. Welcome!"

Captain Williams shook Trevor's hand with warmth and relief. Princess Azulia turned away from the pair. "She's not always like this, you know."

"I am sure that she understands the need, just feels that it inconveniences her," Trevor responded. The two smiled at the inside information, and the entourage moved toward the main entrance. The doors opened and a welcoming delegation met them just inside the corridor. Two of the main dignitaries walked right up to Princess Azulia.

A tall human woman started. "Welcome, Princess Azulia of Xeddon-Nine, welcome. I am Yara Chun, CEO of the Cryslev Corporation, sponsor of this race. It is both a pleasure and an honor to have you here for the race."

A Syngathi, a bipedal, sea-horse type male, bowed his head and spoke halting Basic. "I am Clanspeaker Teryx, and welcome to Pelior Station. We have honor of leading you to your quarters during your stay. If there is need of things…"

Trevor got the distinct impression for Azulia that was used to this sort of introduction, but got quickly bored with it. Trevor, in his reconnoitering, had identified the heads of companies running the podrace. These two were the leading dignitaries and could be seen all over the station. The large group walked towards a large bank of turbolifts and the three heads of state proceeded to enter one turbolift. The doors closed before Trevor could get there, so he boarded the one with the remainder of Azulia's staff. They traveled towards the upper levels where most of the dignitaries from other worlds would rent penthouses for themselves. Azulia's family rented one of these apartments where Azulia could be in comfort. Trevor walked into the room and did an initial search of all the rooms in the apartment. Azulia dismissed the two dignitaries, with all the dignity of a paristeel beam, but they politely bowed out to give Azulia some time to recover. Trevor entered the apartment first with Captain Williams to verify that no one was in the room. Azulia immediately turned to Chun and Teryx.

"Thank you for the impromptu histories of your respective organizations. If you would excuse me, I would like to rest." And with that turned and walked away. The pair bowed gracefully and backed away from the front door. Azulia marched directly to her quarters, and closed the main door. Trevor realized that he'd been staring at the Princess, and shook his head. This assignment was certainly not going to be a cakewalk, and if they were to get separated, Trevor wanted to have a better idea on Azulia's personality. Trevor concentrated on Azulia's presence in the Force, to get a better idea of the princess hidden personality. What surprised Trevor most were not the layers of personality, but the strong adventurous feelings flowing for the other room. That would certainly make her stand out in the Force. Trevor assisted Captain Williams and the rest of the staff getting settled for the next few minutes, and then sat down in a corner chair to rest and placed himself through some mental meditation exercises. It was going to be a long night, he thought.

The door to Azulia's quarters opened quickly after nearly a half an hour. Azulia walked into the main greeting area in a gown decorated with the colors of Zinonyx. Trevor stood as she approached him.

"I am going down to the Crystal Drift. Are you going to stop me?" she challenged.

"No, but I am going with you."

She looked at Trevor and he kept his nose pointed directly at her. She nodded her acceptance of Trevor's statement. "I will be bringing with me one handmaiden, if that's alright with you."

"Princess, you do what you like. I am going to be near enough to you to protect you. That is my job, and I am going to do it to the best of my ability."

Azulia's eyes narrowed, and her mouth formed a small smile. "We'll see," she purred. The trio left the apartment. Trevor notified Captain Williams that the Princess was leaving the apartment and he was accompanying her. Williams' voice portrayed that he didn't like the idea, but the fact that the Jedi contacted him made it easier to accept. Azulia knew exactly where she was going, and Trevor had a distinct impression of the location of the Crystal Drift. As they approached the cantina, it was apparent that all the racers made an appearance here. Mobs of people were waiting for their favorite racer to make an appearance. Bouncers at the doors kept most of the patrons out, but allowed Azulia's group to pass without hinderance. They looked Trevor over for any weapons, but Trevor just looked at them, not forcing his influence at all. They waved him through and he nodded his head at them. They were just doing their job, which he could respect.

The interior of the Crystal Drift was definitely busy. Azulia was waved over to a group of young ladies dressed similarly to Azulia. They immediately got together and were soon laughing at a joke shared amongst friends. Trevor keep his back to the group and keep his vision squarely around the room. Most everyone was engaged in conversations and kept to their own group. Trevor turned back to Azulia and her company when he suddenly realized that Azulia was walking across the room. He started to get up, but realized that she was just mingling around the room. There was nothing here that was of interest, except the outer walls, which were made of double paristeel and gave patrons a view of the water world and the crystals drifting from the core of the planet. Trevor watched a small crystal come darting up through the water, passing a larger portion. He turned back towards Azulia as she made her way back to her group.

A sudden disturbance near Azulia broke Trevor's reverie. A Shistovanian was making very loud comments, uncomprehendable from this distance. Trevor stood from his seat and walked over to where Azulia was last seen. The Shistovanian now could be heard much clearer, shouting at a young man in a strangely familiar hat

"ARE YOU TELLING HIM THAT I SPILLED YOUR DRINK?"

"No, I told you that I apologize for spilling my drink. I –"

"I THINK YOU ARE CALLING ME A LIAR"

The Shistovanian looked very agitated. The young man took a step back away from the Shistovanian. The Shistovanian walked forward to the young man, almost raising his gourd-sized fist in an aggressive manner. Trevor knew that if a bar fight broke out, Azulia might be hurt, and he couldn't have that. Trevor stepped forward, grabbed his lightsaber and ignited it between the antagonists.

Silence descended on the cantina with the _hiss-snap_ of Trevor's white blade. The darkened room exploded with light as Trevor stood, not moving his saber towards either of the two. The young man turned his face towards Trevor, and a familiar Force surge immediately registered to Trevor that the young man was a Miraluka. The custom-designed blindfold was hidden beneath the hat, and the other Miraluka's vision washed over Trevor once, twice, giving Trevor the impression that the Miraluka was staring in disbelief. Neither of the three said a word. The Miraluka nodded his head, and Trevor nodded his, acknowledging the racial bond they shared. The Miraluka walked away from Trevor and the Shistovanian back to his table. Trevor could feel the stares from the other Miraluka from the table, and the group of five left the cantina, posthaste. Trevor disengaged his saber and turned towards the Shistovanian.

"I DID NOT NEED YOUR HELP!" he moved directly into Trevor's face and shouted.

"I wasn't helping you. But you want to think that way, be my guest." Trevor calmly responded, knowing that he had given his anonymity away. He did not want to fight this creature, which was dressed, Trevor could now discern, in a flight suit marked with colors of another racer. The Shistovanian's breath reeked of alcohol and other spirits. Trevor thought that this was not the way to becoming a Jedi. He protected the Miraluka because in the end, it would protect Azulia.

The Shistovanian waved his hand and moved away from Trevor, back to his seat. Trevor breathed a sigh of relief and turned to find Azulia. Unfortunately, Trevor's relief turned to anguish almost immediately. Azulia had disappeared.

Trevor realized that he was holding his breath and exhaled deeply. He shook his head at his lack of concentration at the situation. He took a moment, turned his vision inward and reviewed the entire encounter. He had seen Azulia backing away, but the face, upon further review, showed that she was not afraid, just calculating. Trevor shook himself back to the present and bolted out of the Crystal Drift.

The crowd parted as Trevor turned around. Trevor did not realize how many more people had crowded into the cantina during the fiasco. Everyone moved back to allow Trevor quicker access to the door. The bouncers at the front door, who had moved inside to break up the ruckus, realized that the best way to help, was to open a way for the stone-faced Jedi. Trevor nodded to them and continued outside. The crowds outside were thicker than ever. The nighttime brought out the revelers in droves. Each of the racer's public relations teams promoted their products well by the thickness of the crowd. Trevor moved his vision first north, then south along the busy crowded street. He could not see anyone even remotely resembling Azulia. Trevor took a moment and concentrated on the crowd. Azulia was an adventurous sort, and Trevor remembered that her Force signature was very unique. It should give him a very good idea of where she had gone. Trevor breathed deeply and concentrated, right in the middle of the street. People and beings changed to different colors in Trevor's vision. The Force showed Trevor a strong adventurous spirit heading north, towards a bank of turbolifts. Trevor moved quickly to intercept.

Crowds jostled him, but eventually he made it to the turbolifts. He spotted Azulia and the handmaiden getting on board the most recent turbolift. Not many people were using them, and Trevor was able to get through this crowd much easier than before. Azulia's lift closed before he could get near enough to stop her. Trevor spotted another door opening, and heading to it, intent on following her. Ahead, her lift stopped, and Trevor hit the button for the floor with enough time for the lift to stop. Trevor exited the turbolift and caught a glimpse of the handmaiden heading around a corner. He moved quickly down the corridor, heading, he realized, towards the capitol ship landing area. Trevor was perplexed, but realized that he was not going to be able to make it to the door. He gathered himself and, using the Force, propelled himself towards the door, barely sliding under the door as it closed.

With very little time left, Trevor saw Azulia and the handmaiden walking up the ramp to Zinonyx's ship. Trevor was scrambled to his feet, and ran as quietly as possible. The ramp was being raised as Trevor got halfway across the hanger. Trevor gathered himself yet again, and literally threw himself onto the landing platform. Trevor bunched himself into a ball and rolled onto the ramp and into the ship before the ramp met the ship's hull, sealing Trevor in a fairly big cargo hold. A blue and green podracer stood in the middle of the hold, with open compartments and tools littering the ground. Oil slicks could be seen, but they did not seem to be actively growing. A noise coming from the forecastle of the ship reminded Trevor of his mission. He took his lightsaber into his hand, and stealthily moved toward the sound. He made his way toward a group of lockers and peered around the corner.

A pile of clothing was stacked on a bench located between two rows of lockers. Trevor was about ten meters away from Azulia, who had quickly changed into a blue-green podracer's suit. Trevor's mind clicked and realized that Azulia WAS Zinonyx. She must have been carrying this façade out for years. Zinonyx was well known throughout podracing circles. Trevor put away his lightsaber and carefully watched as Azulia walked away from Trevor's position, leaving her helmet on the bench. Trevor reached out with the Force and picked it up, moving it into his grasp. He stood very still as Azulia/Zinonyx approached the bench. She had tied a bandana over her head and goggles were draped around her neck. She reached blindly for the helmet, and when she turned to look for the helmet, Trevor spoke.

"Looking for this?" Trevor asked, holding up the helmet.

Azulia / Zinonyx quickly reached back for the blaster that was hidden at her side, but realized that her cover had been undone. She relaxed her hand, and her shoulders slumped forward.

"How long have you known?" she asked.

"About three minutes. Care to tell me what is going on?"

"I don't think you'd understand."

"Try me."

Azulia looked at Trevor's skullcap / masked face and sat down on the bench. "All my life, I have had things given to me, and I wanted to see the world. Without bodyguards and the trappings of my life. I wanted to be my own person, not just a ruler of people. I have a few ideas that I would like to persue, but Father just would not hear of them. So, I got into podracing and am very good at it." Azulia turned her face upward, tears glistening in her eyes at finally being caught redhanded. "What are you going to do?"

Trevor knew that this was the biggest decision he would have to make. His job was very clear; protect the Princess from harm. But nowhere in the mandate did it say protect her from herself. Trevor, with sudden insight, knew that his place was not between father and daughter. Trevor walked over, and handed the helmet to Azulia.

"I am here to protect you from harm, not intercede on family affairs. You have chosen this path, and I cannot be the one to force you from it. However, you need to be honest with your father as you may be leading your people in the near future without his guidance. Be honest with him, and discuss your ideas rationally as a peer and as the ruler of your people. Show him you are ready to lead by example, not just telling him of ideas. Sometimes the right path, of the things you have done. I would strongly caution you of this course of action, but I cannot stop you."

Azulia reached out for the helmet and thanked Trevor for his discretion.

"We now have a problem, though," she smirked.

"Oh? What's that?" Trevor's eyebrows raised in concern.

"We need to let Zinonyx be seen. She is expected to make an appearance soon."

It was Trevor's turn to be concerned. A few thoughts twittered in his mind, when an idea struck him. "Does your handmaiden know your secret?"

Azulia turned, "Yes, she does. She's had to."

"Let's use that to our advantange," and Trevor quickly outlined the plan.

The _Crystal Drift_ was more packed than before. Trevor and the handmaiden, Abithat, returned to the cantina, alone. Trevor's face was as stone faced as when he left, and the handmaiden looked as if she were going to jail. Trevor guided her to a small table near the back of the room. The plan was really very simple; Trevor and Abithat would return the Crystal Drift, acting as if Azulia was not feeling well. Zinonyx would make her appearance and spend ninty minutes making the rounds, then would try and search for Azulia. Trevor and Abithat would tell Zinonyx that Azulia was not feeling well, but they would be willing to bring Zinonyx to her. Azulia had agreed, because not only was she able to continue the charade, but she also felt that she was not in trouble with a Jedi. Trevor was not completely certain about this course of action, but knew that he had no business interfering in a family affair. Azulia was grown up, but King Dolimus did not see that. Trevor could see that she had some wonderful ideas, of which she discussed during the planning session back on the Zinonyx's ship. The walk back to the _Drift_ was stressful for Abithat; she kept turning to Trevor to see if she was in trouble. Just before entering, Trevor turned his face towards her.

"Do me a favor? Relax. You aren't helping concentrate."

"How can you see?" she timidly asked.

Trevor smiled at her. "Would you believe I see from happiness?"

She looked at Trevor, and smiled back. "You don't really see from happiness, do you?"

Trevor would have winked if he could. However, he did place his finger over his mouth. "Don't tell anyone, okay?"

She covered her mouth and giggled. They entered the cantina moments before Zinonyx made her appearance. A loud cheer from the throng that gathered at the cantina greeted her. She walked around the cantina, shaking hands and conversing at least seven different groups of spectators. This continued on for nearly the entire ninty minutes, what the limit of Trevor's nerves could take. They had agreed that she needed to be seen as Zinonyx for enough time that would allow everyone to forget that Trevor had left quickly and Azulia was not in tow.

Zinonyx made her way over to Trevor and the handmaiden near the time allotted. "Pardon me, but have you seen Princess Azulia?" her voice was muffled and

"No, I am sorry, she is not feeling well. She has asked if you would visit with her at her apartment. We can bring you there, if you would not mind."

"Certainly, we can leave any time."

Trevor, Abithat and Zinonyx left the Crystal Drift together, heading back towards the apartments via Zinonyx's ship. The trip back was uneventful, yet rather interesting, now knowing that Zinonyx was Azulia. Trevor never mentioned it to Captain Williams either, as Azulia had asked. Trevor took some time, made some notes on his datapad. The Council might not believe him, but at least if he wrote it down, he might have a chance to get it right.

Trevor slept fitfully, knowing that the pod race was mere hours away. The scheduled time was to be at the sun's zenith, giving all the racers and spectators the best view of the course. The Cryslev Classic had been running for eleven years with a superb history of close finishes and quite a few daring moves by many of the racers. This course was laid out over a hundred square kilometers and was in a triangular configuration for this year's entry. The racers were to start next to Pelior Station and were to proceed in a clockwise fashion around the track. Trevor stood up from his sleeping area and looked out the window. The largest ice flows were nearly in place by sunrise and pod-tugs were moving smaller flows together to make the course more interesting.

Trevor heard rustling behind him, and did not need to turn his vision to realize that Azulia was also up early. Azulia was preparing herself some refreshment and offered some to Trevor. He accepted and the two ate in silence, neither one needing to say anything more. Abithat walked in, bowed to Azulia and nodded to Trevor. Trevor nodded back, and continued to listen to the movements of the other occupants. The plan for today was mingle with the spectators for a while as Azulia. The covered observation pods for the dignitaries were to float high above the racetrack, nearly fife kilometers above the icy surface. From that vantage point, the dignitaries and special guests could see ninty-five percent of the course. Azulia and her Jedi guardian would mingle with the other dignitaries for about an hour and then meet with Zinonyx on the last pod. The rumors floating around would be that Zinonyx wanted to check on Azulia's health prior to racing. He wanted to be sure that his staunchest support was feeling well enough to be watching. Azulia had started this rumor during her evening's journeys.

The small entourage left the apartments and headed to the dignitary loading area. The spacious cavern was enough to get lost in, Trevor thought. Some one might recognize Azulia, so we need to be extra careful.

They entered their pod without incident and the droid-pilot guided the pod outside into the frigid cold air. Trevor watched Azulia discuss politics and other issues with the ease of a Senator with the polish of a Princess. She handled everyone carefully, and Trevor saw the layers upon layers building up on her, shielding herself from those that she did not want close. However, those same layers came down with friends and confidants.

For just over an hour, Azulia met with different persons of varying rank. She excused herself to her own pod, asking to have the pod maneuvered over to Zinonyx's colored pod weaving it's way towards her. When the two pods were docked, the doors opened, and a mechanic from the ship held out her flight suit.

"We need to hurry if we are to get back on time," the short bald human man said.

"I agree. Abithat, close the blinds. We don't want someone looking in on us right now."

Trevor turned his attention to Azulia. She in turn looked at him with the adventurous spirit flowing over him in waves. "Thank you, Trevor," she said simply.

"Just don't get hurt. The Jedi Council will not be happy if any harm comes to you."

Azulia smiled back. "Who, me?"

Trevor groaned, hearing his own words coming back to haunt him. Azulia entered the other pod, closed the hatch, and made a hasty exit to the ship. Trevor stood by the window, watching the ship, hoping against hope that she would be save.

The pods growled with power; the roar could be heard even from four kilometers up. Trevor had deactivated the droid-pilot to get a better feel for the pod and to move the pod away from the more conjested viewing locations. It also gave him a better chance to see more of the course, just in case something was to happen. The tension inside the observation pod was mild compared to the excitement felt in Zinonyx's racer. The engines purred wildly as Zinonyx and the rest of the racers revved the engines, waiting for the green light to illuminate, giving the racers permission to release the fury that was podracing.

The light changed, and the racers were off without any incidences. All twelve racers were screaming around the first right corner, giving life to the spectators watching the race. Zinonyx was in the lead at the first turn, but barely. The Shistovanian from the night before was right in on her exhaust, followed by the Miraluka, also from the cantina. Trevor watched Zinonyx swerve the racer across the racing lane in front of Shisto. The icy water made the racers slide all over the track, so Zinonyx could not keep the veering up for much longer, because just a few hundred meters the track narrowed to barely a racer-width. All the racers lined up just in time to prevent a fiery crash into the icebergs, which made up the narrow pass. At the end of the chasm, a large ice spike rose up from the sea, causing the racers to veer to either left or right to avoid a crash. Zinonyx and Shisto's pods gained a small space between themselves and the other racers. It was amazing to watch these podracers barrel across the icy waters at breakneck speeds.

The lead racers kept the distance increasing through the first half of the course. A single racer had broken away from the trailing pack and started to gain on the first pair. Trevor recognized the colors as the Miraluka pod, and secretly cheered his species-brother along to second place. However, the next turn proved a bit disastrous for Zinonyx. As they started the next right hand turn, Shisto got to the inside of Zinonyx and bumped her outside. Zinonyx got the racer under control, but had to relinquish first place. This allowed the Miraluka to gain ground on the pair. One of the other racers was not so lucky. Unable to maintain control his machine, the racer smashed directly into the side of an iceberg, exploding into a shower of metal, wire and ice.

The first three racers now headed down the easiest part of the track. A few narrower areas could be navigated fairly easily. The course opened to a wider area before entering a maze of small, moving icebergs. The racers had to flip their pods over, and in different rotations to narrowly avoid losing an engine into these ice formations. After this obstacle, there was a sharp right hand hairpin, leading to the most dangerous portion of the course. A large iceramp was laid in the middle of the course. This propelled the racers over an area of floating crystals coming from the bowels of the planet. A racer, no matter how good, might not be able to avoid the larger crystals. As the racers fell back down, they had to navigate an S-chasm, which was just as small as the first.

Trevor watched the racers navigate this course, wondering how Zinonyx was going to get into the lead again. She was able to get by Shisto in the early part of the course, and was able to hit the iceramp first. However, Trevor's shackles went up when Zinonyx emerged from the chasm. Trevor noticed that on Zinonyx's left engine was a white blob. However, it was moving towards the canopy, very slowly. Zinonyx's racer weaved and bobbed, trying to dislodge the new appendage. She was unsuccessful, however. Trevor did not even stop to think about his actions. He quickly contacted E5, telling him to get his ship out on the course immediately. Trevor then raced toward the back of the observation pod, opened the door, and jumped out.

The icy cold hit him in the face with the force of a hyperspace jump. Trevor free fell for a few seconds when he realized that he would be going too fast to stop. He attempted to land on a few observation pods on the way down, but could not concentrate enough to get a good grasp on the Force. He continued to fall with increasing speed, and panic started to creep into his mind. Pushing the panic from his mind, Trevor guided himself through the steps to slow down through the atmosphere and was rewarded by decreased speed and an ability to direct his fall. He directed himself towards the open area on the backstretch of the course. Zinonyx had just come from the first chasm, and was making her way across the course towards the first sharp turn. Trevor's mind quickly calculated where he needed to be, and finally moving himself with the Force, was able to line up his approach with Zinonyx's path.

The pod turned the right and corner, proceeding towards the ice spires at the end of the backstretch. Shisto took advantage of the distraction of the extra body on Zinonyx's craft, and zoomed into the lead. Zinonyx jerked the racer back and forth, nearly knocking off the assailant. The creature had attached itself between the engines, between the power coupling and the cockpit. Trevor neared the racer, and guided himself to land on the right hand engine. He successfully landed and grasped a fin that was sticking out to balance himself. The attacker turned its face to Trevor, and attempted to grasp a weapon from its holster. However, Zinonyx, upon seeing Trevor float in from the sky, slowed down suddenly, causing the attacker to grasp the engine again. The pod made it's way to the next hairpin, turned and headed directly towards the ramp. Trevor realized that the extra weigh would not be good for Zinonyx going over the ramp. He timed his roll off the engine, dropping added weight onto the assailant, causing it to lose its grip. The pair fell down onto the ramp, causing Zinonyx's craft to suddenly jump up and take off with plenty of power. Trevor and the attacker fell together, landing side by side, rolling towards, and over, the edge. The pair fell into the water, disappearing from view.

The water was shockingly cold. Trevor had expected to be cold, which was why he brought along very good cold weather gear, but he only had on his Jedi cloak, which had protected him while on the planet Ilum, but water was a different hazard altogether. The two aggressors had separated once they hit the water, and both were able to view each other quickly. The aggressor was dressed in a metallic suit, with a full covering over his head. Trevor only had his Jedi robes on. Trevor immediately knew that he could not survive underwater, and began to swim toward the surface. The antagonist reached out and grabbed Trevor's legs to prevent him from getting to the surface, and swam the opposite direction. Trevor, realizing that he was trapped, reached into his utility belt, and extracted an aquata breather. This little device allowed Trevor to breathe normally under water. However, Trevor could certainly not swim with the attacker on his legs.

Trevor grabbed his lightsaber and proceeded to point it straight down towards his legs. The helmeted head stared back at Trevor, wondering what he was going to do. Trevor was not sure that his saber would work under water. If his construction was faulty in any way, the weapon would explode and neither combatant would survive. Trevor depressed the button and was rewarded with boiling water around his white blade. The sudden light caused temporary blindness in both combatants, but Trevor's vision cleared first. He swung his blade slowly across the front of his legs. The figure below released himself from Trevor's legs and tried to swim away, but his suit did not seem to function properly. Trevor swung again, hitting the breast plate of the other's armor. Water bubbled all around Trevor, blocking both figures from one another for quick moments. The other tried to swim inside Trevor's arc, but Trevor adjusted the swipes to prevent such a move. Trevor swung a third time, and was rewarded with a scar on the man's armor. Air bubbles rose from the sealed armor, and the other figured seemed to go limp. Trevor disengaged his blade, and swam to the falling figure. Grabbing under the other's arms, Trevor started swimming toward the surface.

Lifting the limp body toward the surface was tiring, and Trevor was not sure that he would make it. A crystal drifted in front of Trevor's vision, causing a sudden thought. Trevor looked around, and saw a fast moving crystal moving toward the surface. He reached out with the Force, and guided the crystal under the pair. Trevor grabbed on and the pair headed towards the surface faster than Trevor could have ever moved. Within moments, the two broke the surface of the water, right in the middle of the crystal obstacle on the podracing course. Fortunately, the race seemed to be over as emergency rescue vehicles were moving onto the course around Trevor's location. A Whitecloak fighter could be seen hovering just outside the course boundaries. Trevor waved to the rescue workers as they approached. A sense of calm washed over Trevor as the attacker was lifted from his arms onto a waiting shuttle platform. Trevor climbed aboard and was given a warm blanket to cover himself with. Medical personnel and droids bombarded Trevor with questions, but he heard only a couple before passing out due to exposure from the cold.

Trevor awoke feeling surprising refreshed. He found himself on a repulsorbed in a private bed. Medical wing, his mind registered. His clothing was folded neatly on the end of his repulsorbed and a medical droid stood at the end, monitoring his vital signs. It reported to him that if he were able to stand, he could be released. He stood up for a moment, got his balance and waved at the droid, indicating that everything was normal. The droid nodded, and left Trevor to dress. Trevor inspected the clothing and noticed that his utility belt and his lightsaber were missing. He dressed quickly and was searching his room when a Peliorian security guard walked in. Trevor turned and was rewarded with his weapon and belt. The guard saluted Trevor and walked out.

A contingent of security forces had surrounded the repulsor bed of Zinonyx's attacker. Trevor noted that the guards alternated whether they were looking out from, or looking at, the prisoner. All of them were on high alert, weapons at the ready. Odd, thought Trevor. A moment near the door alerted Trevor that Princess Azulia herself was nearing the medical triage area. Trevor walked away from the guards, nodding to the Captain and receiving a salute in return.

Princess Azulia was outside of the medical wing with nearly a battalion of guards. Captain Williams himself was leading the group. Azulia looked at Trevor and bowed deeply. "Trevor Gul'dan, I am deeply indebted to you for saving Zinonyx's life. I appreciate your willingness to grant my request to save him from that awful attacker." Trevor did not want to really be a part of this charade, but feeling that he might have found a way to get out, Trevor replied, "Now that Zinonyx is safe as are you, the two of you would be able to discuss the plans that you mentioned to me the other day. He would be a very valuable asset to your plans."

Azulia's eyes lit up and gave Trevor hope. She bowed to Trevor. "I shall endeavor to convince my father to give him an audience."

Trevor whispered, "The effort is all I can ask, Your Highness."

Azulia blushed slightly, her skin turning a very light shade of violet. Trevor bowed and backed away. "Your Highness, I need to question the man in custody. Please excuse me." Captain Williams grasped Azulia's arm and moved her away from the medical wing. She seemed like she wanted to stay, but Trevor turned around and headed back to the medical wing.

Trevor walked into the medical wing, and waved away the guards. All of them looked at the Jedi and wondered whether they should or not. Trevor did not give them a second look, and the captain of the group waved them away. Trevor stood stock still and waited. The captain whispered over Trevor's shoulder. "If you need us, Jedi, just speak up." Trevor nodded his head slowly, concentrating on the face that lay just in front of him. The captain nodded his head, glanced over at the bed, and said, "Boy, are you in trouble." Trevor never moved, continuing to keep his nose pointed at the bounty hunter, who was bound to the bed in restraints.

"I am not going to talk to you," the man said.

Trevor stared ahead, and decided that it was time to play bad cop. He waved his hand in front of his body, and said, "You WILL tell me what I want to know."

The man looked at Trevor, "You know, why don't I just tell you want you want to know."

Trevor smirked, "I am glad that we are thinking alike." And for the next hour, Trevor gathered as much information as possible. He recorded the information from the bounty hunter. A rival faction on Azulia's home planet paid him. Trevor finished his interview and suggested that the bounty hunter give the same information to the security forces sitting outside. Trevor walked out of the medical center, feeling rather confused by the entire mission.

Trevor returned to the Ulosa apartment two hours later. He was immediately summoned to Azulia's chamber door. Trevor walk up and Azulia was standing in a long purple gown. She spoke in a low whisper so that only Trevor would hear.

"I am leaving tomorrow, and I wanted to say thank you for all you have done. I have thought about what we talked about, and maybe it is time I slow down."

"Princess, I hope that you realize that I did not mean to intrude on your life. You asked for my opinion, and that is all it was. If it made you think then my job is truly complete. People cannot always go out doing their own things, especially those that are going to lead people."

"Trevor, I wish you the best. Thank you for everything."

"Princess, it has been a pleasure."

Trevor bowed and turned away. Azulia watched the Jedi walk away. Azulia suddenly realized that the Jedi who risked his life to save her would not be in her new life any more. Maybe he would keep in touch; she hoped so. He made sense out of a crazy life. Trevor's thoughts were on whether he'd successfully completed his Trials.

Trevor escorted Azulia back to her ship and watched it lift off. Few words were said on the way back, and Trevor kept his thought looking ahead, still keeping his vision on the lookout for any more attempts. Nothing happened, and Trevor was glad to see the ship leaving. Protection duty was difficult. This was his most difficult job and each one was more difficult than the last. With Shudo nearby, Trevor never had to rely on his own decisions before. Nothing Trevor had done before had really prepared him for this. He was glad to get back into the Whitecloak, and head back to Coruscant. He instructed E5 to wake him an hour before arrival at Coruscant. Trevor sat back once the fighter was in hyperspace, and entered a Jedi Trance. Peace flowed through Trevor and he dropped directly into the Trance.

The Whitecloak approached the Jedi Temple and landed immediately in the main hanger bay. Trevor received a summons on the way into the hanger bay to report directly to the Council Chambers. Trevor was very nervous, unsure of what his future would hold. Tension built in Trevor's neck and he twisted his neck to break out the kinks. The turbolift entered the waiting area outside the Council Chambers. The doors were thrown wide open, and Trevor could see Shudo, Yoda and Mace Windu standing by the windows. Trevor walked in, and waited until someone motioned to him. Yoda turned around and waved Trevor into the chamber. Shudo nodded to Trevor, and Trevor responded in kind.

"Report on your mission." Trevor pulled out his datapad and reviewed his notes on the entire operation. Yoda and Shudo nodded respectfully. Windu continue to stare out the window, concentrating on Trevor's report. Trevor spent the next twenty minutes giving a blow-by-blow of the entire mission, right up to the hyperspace jump. Trevor turned off the datapad and waited.

Yoda gimped his way across the floor towards Trevor.

"Bestow on you the level of Jedi Knight the Council does." Yoda proclaimed. "Continue your studies you should. Also acclimate yourself with your new quarters." It dawned on Trevor that he would be on his own for the first time in his life. "Giving you your first mission, Master Shudo shall. Dismissed you are."

Trevor walked out of the chambers and realized for the first time, that he had successfully made it as a Jedi Knight. For now, he needed to enjoy the feeling, but the real work was just ahead. There were still some things outstanding that he needed to work on solving, and the number one question on his mind was what had happened with that Sith artifact? Something that Trevor could see that he'd have a few chances to solve that mystery.


	7. Chapter 7

TREVOR GUL'DAN, JEDI KNIGHT

The walk back to his quarters from the Council chambers was tense. Trevor was not sure how fast the news of his promotion would go through the Temple. He decended the stairs into the main corridor and realized that good news does travel quickly. A small knot of Nexu Clan Jedi, Knights and Padawans alike, were at the bottom of the stairs, staring up at the Order's newest Knight. Kymber Thomree was amongst them, nudging people to keep the noise down for those that were in study. Kymber turned her blonde head towards the stairs. When she saw Trevor, she grasped Werren Zoff's arm and began clapping quietly. The rest of her group joined in, pointing up at Trevor. Of the fifteen or so that had gathered, Trevor was glad to see most of his clan in attendance, his family since early on in his life. His first memories of the Jedi Temple were of nineteen other children, thrust together to form bonds of friendship, loyalty and to learn the ways of the Jedi Order. They were mostly human, but the other species of his clan were accepted just as easily. All Jedi initiates were taught that the Force did not see their species, hair color, or anything else that their knowledge would impart upon them. Others gathered at the bottom of the stairs were not unfamiliar, including Kymber, R'We'Nok, Noa, and Dutana. Also in the gathering was Werren Zoff, a male human Jedi Knight who worked out of the Temple in Coruscant. None of these Jedi were assigned off-planet, but secretly Trevor hoped to have a system of his own to protect.

The remaining Jedi's names came back to Trevor as he walked down the stairs. Dela Kintar was a member of the Med Corps and had been instrumental in treating the slaves from Brentaal. Nal Irenez was a human male who joined the ExploriCorps after failing his tests. However, the friendships made did not stop even if one was not a full-fledged Jedi Knight. Trevor kept in contact with each of those that he could. Jalko, a Mon Calamari, was extremely skilled as a diplomat and was had a great sense of humor. It had been a long time since he'd seen Jalko, but he knew the mission assigned to Jalko and his master were of the diplomatic nature and those lasted longer than most.

The group surrounded Trevor, congratulating him over and over. Trevor was whisked away towards the entrance to the Jedi Temple, heading out the main doors. Shudo Laan stood atop the main stairwell, looking down at the small group of friends. Trevor turned around, and with Kymber also looking back, saw Shudo wave in acceptance of the impromptu party. 'There would be time enough for the business of being a Jedi. Let him have some fun,' Shudo thought. 'The rest of his life will be dedicated to the Order.'

The evening was rather eventful, for a Jedi celebration. No one let Trevor buy a single credit for his celebration. These Jedi spent the night getting rowdy and letting off steam. They all stayed out until the wee hours of the morning. The group dispersed a few hours past midnight, leaving Trevor, Kymber and Noa walking back to the Temple. Noa and Kymber told Trevor some interesting news regarding his new knighthood. When he returned to the Temple, the lock to his room near Shudo would be changed to only allow Shudo and his new padawan, should he take one on. Trevor's new quarters were already assigned and his belonging, meager though they were, should have already been relocated.

The pair told Trevor his new quarters were located on the northern side of the Temple, nearly opposite of his old quarters near Shudo. Trevor nearly shook with excitement. Seeing as he had spent over thirty years practicing to be a Jedi Knight, now was his time to shine. Kymber and Noa escorted Trevor to his new quarters and after getting him in the door, left him to his own designs. He was physically tired after the 'partying', but he knew that he needed to be refreshed to be of any use to the Council.

Trevor looked around his new place and was glad to see that most of the rooms in the Temple were similar. This room was a mirror copy of his room next to Shudo's. The door to the hall followed a small corridor, with the refresher on the right, sleeping quarters on the left and a kitchenette / living area near the large window facing the northern pole of Coruscant. The main living area was wide enough for Trevor to perform his daily exercises, but not so wide as to be able to perform his lightsaber drills. Trevor smirked slightly, feeling extremely tired and anxious at the same time. Fatigue started to win out, so he got himself ready for a long sleep period. He used the refresher and upon placing his head on his sleeping pad fell soundly to sleep.

The next few days went by rather quickly. Trevor's first days were spent in meditation and continue training. He found some spare time to liven up his apartment slightly. He found some Miraluken art that seemed to move him. He procured a training mat to place in his room so that he could perform his katas better. The days flew by giving Trevor the illusion of time travel.

One evening, on his way to the dining area, Trevor felt a presence nearby that he had not felt alone in quite a while. Trevor stopped where he was in the hall, and turned to face Master Yoda, who had exited a room where Jedi initiates, or more fondly known as Younglings, were practicing moving objects from one location to another.

"Jedi Trevor Gul'dan, satisfactory your new home is?"

"Yes, Master Yoda. It is more than satisfactory. Thank you."

"Hmm. Necessary from you thanks are not. Earned this rank you have. Happy to see success rewarded always I am."

Trevor bowed deeply to the wizened Jedi Master.

"However, small talk come to you I did not. A mission this evening you will receive. Answer your questions the Council will. This evening after you receive your briefing."

Trevor nodded and bowed. Yoda bowed in response and the two separated. Trevor returned to his quarters as quickly as possible. The nervous energy generated by his first true solo mission caused him some consternation. A few deep breathing exercises calmed him enough to realize that his new quarters were a bit messy. He picked up his belongings and stored a few things when his com-unit buzzed. Trevor activated the unit, and the aforementioned mission briefing appeared on his screen.

---- MISSION ASSIGNMENT ----

JEDI KNIGHT TREVOR GUL'DAN

**Jedi Master Kura Oomaal has recently provided intelligence regarding her ongoing mission in Hutt Space. Master Oomaal's sources indicate that the Hutt Crimelord Gardulla on Tatooine has purchased a shipment of slaves. Information on the speed and defenses of the transport vessel is sparse, but it is estimated Gardulla's shipment of slaves will arrive at her palace in Mos Espa in eight days. The slaves are being transported by a notorious Kadas'sa'Nikto slaver known as Vizaad Kha, along with several of his henchmen. Travel from Coruscant to Tatooine by Whitecloak should take approximately six days.**

**If the slaves can be intercepted before they arrive at Gardulla's palace, it may be possible to subdue or distract Kha and his henchmen and free the slaves. If they are not intercepted before arrival at Gardulla's palace, they will be fitted with internal tracking devices, making recovery exponentially more dangerous. Kha is also a formidable opponent, with a history of avoiding or escaping capture by authorities. He was last seen in the Cerea system, where he used a concealed miniature slicer's-rig to escape confinement in a magnetically sealed prison cell. He is currently wanted in seven systems. Recovery of the slaves takes priority over any attempts to apprehend or neutralize Vizaad Kha. The council recommends that you avoid directly engaging Gardulla's forces if possible.**

Trevor immediately requested a download of all possible information on Tatooine. He headed to the hanger bay to procure a ship. On the way down, Trevor's mind ran over some questions that he wanted to ask the Council. They were simple questions, but something that a new Knight might need to ask. Trevor headed down to the turbolifts, but changed his mind and headed right to the Council Chambers. 'Might as well make a good impression,' thought Trevor.

The Council doors were open to the chamber and Shudo Laan was inside the chamber talking to Master Windu and Council member Ki-Adi-Mundi. Ki-Adi was the only ranking Jedi Knight on the council. Most other members were Jedi Masters, but Mundi had distinguished himself on a number of occasions to be granted a permanent seat on the council. The three Jedi turned as Trevor entered the hallway. They walked to meet Trevor in the hallway, causing Trevor to stop and bow much earlier than he expected.

"Trevor," Shudo greeted.

"Master Shudo, greetings. I was not expecting you here, Master. I had some questions for the Council and I am glad that you are here."

Shudo turned his familiar shade of yellow. "Inquisitive you have always been with new challenges, Trevor. I have something to attend to, so if you will excuse me, I am sure that Master Windu and Jedi Knight Mundi would be glad to assist you."  
"Thank you, Master." Trevor nodded his head, and moved out of Shudo's way. The Anx Jedi smirked at Trevor and grasped his former padawan (so strange to think that) on the shoulder in salutation.

"So, Trevor, what can we help you with." Ki-Adi-Mundi inquired.

"Masters, just some housekeeping items, really. I am presuming that you know my mission." Both Jedi nodded. "My question is this: How do I transport the slaves, if I am successful, back to Coruscant?"

Mace responded, "A cautious question and a very observant one, Trevor. All Jedi are given discretionary funds when they are sent on missions based on the experience of each Knight. Since you are a newly designated Knight, you will be given enough to cover basic expenses. This is not an authorization to go on a spending spree. Rather, it allows you to get your mission done with the minimal amount of currency. You will need to be cautious, as you may be swindled out of the credits you are allotted. Whatever remains will be returned to the Temple. Your allotment should be enough to cover the needs of your mission. You should procure transportation as soon as you arrive on Tatooine. It would be best to have this available to you."

"How long is the trip from Ryloth to Tatooine? Is the _Phoenix_ available?"

Ki-Adi-Mundi spoke. "The Phoenix is not registered to you. Your name is still on it as pilot, but Shudo Laan has been given the use of the _Crystal Phoenix_ for his duration as a Jedi Knight. You have been assigned a Whitecloak fighter. In time, you will be allowed to change ships. Take care of the one you are given." Trevor winced. He remembered the last time he took a Whitecloak on his own. Unfortunately, it crashed into the side of a mountain on Ilum.

Mace Windu added, "We understand that the accident on Ilum was not your fault. I believe that you are qualified to fly the Whitecloak. Go down to the hanger and check out your new ship before you leave. Master Oomaal has not given an indication as to when the shipment was to arrive, however I that you leave within the next twenty four hours."

Trevor nodded. "Thank you, Masters. That is all I need."

They bowed to Trevor, and both Jedi wished Trevor well on his mission. Trevor thanked them for the time and turned away. Mace Windu stopped him in his tracks.

"Trevor. Understand something about your mission. The slaves are the most important part. Do not attempt to stop Vizaad Kha on your own. Do not look for trouble. That said, should you need to neutralize Kha, do so quickly. Master Oomaal risked much to get us this info. I am not sure when they will get there. Leave with all possible speed."

Trevor promised that he would leave soon. Mace took his leave and Trevor turned towards the hanger bay immediately. Trevor walked briskly, going over different plans that might happen. Trevor was engrossed in formulating plans and disregarding more when he arrived at the Whitecloak section of the hanger. The Whitecloaks had been stored in orbit to dock with other ships, but recently they were moved inside the Temple for maintenance and storage. The Council needed to change their habits every so often, so the Whitecloaks were stored here in the upper sections of the Temple. Trevor checked the status board and noticed that his name was assigned to Whitecloak fighter number 17. A technician was standing near docking station thirty-five, where Trevor's fighter was stored. Trevor walked over to the technician.

"Excuse me, are you prepping this fighter?"

"Yes, sir. I am supposed to be getting this ship ready for Jedi Knight Trevor Gul'dan."

Trevor smiled slightly. "I am that Knight. I have a quick question for you. How long would it take you to change the painting on that ship to make it seem older."

The technician smirked back. "Only about thirty minutes."

"Great. Get that started. Also make sure that the weapons are fully charged."

"Certainly, Sir."

Trevor and the tech parted ways. He then noticed that Shudo Laan was talking to another technican. Trevor was perplexed by Shudo's presence so he walked over to the unlikely pair.

"…and the new program has been installed?"

"Yes, Master Shudo, it's all been installed. And we downloaded the old program and reloaded it into your new astromech."

"Excellent, excellent. So there shouldn't be any changes in performance with the Crystal Phoenix?"

"No, sir."

"Very good. Trevor!"

"Master Shudo."

"I was just investigating the progress with the modifications to E5. I have had some of his old programming removed, and some new programs and various features installed that might come in useful. I hope that you will take good care of him. He has served me well over the years. Consider it a 'graduation' gift."

"Thank you, Master. I appreciate the help. He was a rather helpful droid during my trials. What features did you have downloaded and installed?"

"Mostly I had an expanded astrogation database added so he'll be able to work independently of the Crystal Phoenix's navi-computer. I also had various refits of tools so that he'll serve better as a Whitecloak astromech. He is now assigned to your individual Whitecloak."

Trevor was rather surprised by Shudo's gift. He was very glad to have E5 along to help him learn to pilot ships better. He always felt comfortable having E5 plotting the course from point to point. Trevor's skills had improved some, but having an astromech who was prepared to cover your backside as necessary was a very comforting thought.

"Master, have you had an evening meal yet? I have some questions for you regarding this mission. I've been working on some plans and I would just like to confirm them with you."

"Certainly."

Trevor and Shudo walked to the nearest eating area and talked about Trevor's plans and his mission.

"Would Anakin Skywalker be available, Master? I'd like to talk to him about his homeworld.

"Unfortunately, my Padawan," Shudo jibed Trevor, knowing that the Master / Padawan pair was now much different, but reminding Trevor that he would always be Shudo's student, "Obi-Wan and Anakin are out of the Temple at this time."

"Well, it was a thought. And the rest of the plans?"

"It would seem that you have prepared well enough. I cannot see any more to add to you plans."

Trevor and Shudo kept the talk to more mundane items, such as Trevor's new quarters, and the sudden quietness from next door. Shudo gave Trevor some anecdotes of his younger days. Trevor laughed at the headaches and problems that he'd given as a youngster. The time flew by, and thirty minutes was over before either one even noticed the time. Shudo wished Trevor well, and Trevor bowed deeply. Trevor stopped by a terminal and updated his cred chip to verify that he had enough currency. The computer automatically updated his account and returned his chip. Trevor placed it in a hidden compartment on his chronometer and headed out to the hanger. The technician waved him over when he arrived.

"All set, sir. Wish you well. We actually got done early.."

"Thank you. May the Force be with you."

Trevor shook hands with the tech and boarded his fighter. The landing platform began to extend itself as Trevor closed his canopy. He turned to see E5 in his familiar spot directly behind him.

"Ready to go, E5?" He got a positive response from the astromech droid. "Take us out."

The Whitecloak was cleared of the Temple by the time Trevor gave the command to take off. He watched the gauges and compass headings to get a better idea of piloting skills. E5 maneuvered through the crowded lanes of traffic directly to the hyperspace jump points in orbit. Coruscant Traffic Control gave Trevor priority through the atmosphere, and that cause some consternation amongst those visiting the planet. Senators and Jedi were usually give preferential and courteous priorities, respectively, when it came to the traffic patterns.

Trevor gave himself a couple of hours to go over his plans. He wrote it down and erased certain items, modified a couple more, and realized that he had his plan ready enough that he could adjust it if necessary. He then stored his datapad and got himself comfortable. Now that he had all of the plans in place, he instructed E5 to wake Trevor if there was a problem with the trip, and Trevor began the Jedi Trance, to pass the next six days more quickly.

Nearly five and a half days later, Whitecloak 17 came out of hyperspace into Tatooine space. E5 had awoken Trevor ten minutes earlier to prepare him for the transition to normal space. Tatooine's binary suns shown off to the starboard side, and slightly behind him, so he was not blinded immediately. Tatootine was an extremely hot planet which got it's water from the moisture farmers that lived on the outskirts of the habitable regions of the planet and from the ice ring of it's sister planet. The dual moons shown near the horizon of the planet, causing Trevor to smile as he worked the controls down to the planet. He'd wanted to talk to Anakin Skywalker before departing on his mission, but the young boy was off with his new Master, Obi-Wan Kenobi, known through the Temple as the one who defeated a Sith. It was obvious that Tatooine was a pretty planet, but the surface would be very dangerous.

Trevor navigated the Whitecloak down through the atmosphere towards Mos Espa. The shipment was supposed to be headed towards Gardulla the Hutt, and it made sense from his information that Gardulla was to be in Mos Espa this time of year. Trevor navigated towards the city, looking for specifically the type of freighter that could be retrofitted for a slave transport. Nothing stood out on his approach towards Mos Espa, but he did not expect to find it right away. Slave trade, no matter where they were transported to, even a Hutt world, would not be made public. Trevor circled the city once, hoping to catch a glimpse of a particular type of freighter; the _Barloz_-class freighter. Mos Espa had a number of docking bays, and Trevor found one that was open, near the north end of town. It was fairly close to Gardulla's castle. Even though it might be rather obvious, keep it close for a quick escape.

Trevor guided his ship down to Docking Bay Seven. The canopy opened, and Trevor glanced around. No one was attempting to refuel or service his ship. He turned to E5.

"I need you to keep your sensors open for a Barloz freighter by the name of Green Harvest." Trevor had guessed the actual name of the freighter, but figured Green Harvest would be enough.

"Should I keep a look out for any others?" A screen in the Whitecloak showed Trevor what E5's whistles and beeps meant in Basic. "Transponder codes can be changed."

"Yes, that would be a good idea."

"Shall I contact you on your comlink?"

"Certainly. Oh, and keep an eye out for anyone servicing the ship."

"Scanning now. I'll keep the ship locked down."

Trevor finished climbing out of the ship, straightened his robes, and left the hanger bay directly. He could hear the canopy closing and smiled to himself. Trevor walked out onto the main street, and turned left from the hanger bay. The crowds were not overly compact, but enough for Trevor to get a sense of the people and places. His reconnoitering would give him some idea about the enemy he was about to face.

There were a great number of Nikto, especially red ones. The five species of Nikto were all adapted to different climates. Red was known for surviving well in hot regions, such as Tatooine desert. Some of the Nikto he saw were also green, but no one matched the description of Vizaad Kha, who is purported to be a green Nikto. A few Twi'lek could be found among the crowd, but not enough to indicate that the slaves were here. Scruffy droids were getting in people's way, and a few pilots from other docking bays were seen as well. However, no one seemed to match any description of any known criminals. Trevor walked around town and saw a few children running around with their pets. Trevor walked around town, near Gardulla's palace. He noticed that there were a number of Nikto and Klatoonians. There were also a good number of wekway grouped together walking around town, circling the palace. They did not pay attention to Trevor, but he paid attention to them. They seemed to be very good guards, and Trevor realized that he might have trouble with them if he tried to infiltrate the castle.

He walked around town for the next few hours, trying to find out where the nearest freighter captain. He looked around town for the first hour, and his search was not very fruitful. The first pilot he talked to did not have the facilities to transport more than two people. The second pilot was not carrying anything. The remaining pilots did not give him the time of day.

Despite his fruitless search, Trevor continued throughout the day. He needed to keep his eyes open for the Barloz freighter, but he needed to get back up transportation, should something happen. He stopped at an open air cantina on the southern end of town. Trevor approached the barman.

"I am looking to hire a ship. Are there any pilots looking for a fare?"

The burly human snickered at the blindfolded Trevor. "I hear there is a pilot in the back who might need a bit of luck. Take a shot at him. He's the Quarren in the back there." The barman pointed back to a squidfaced figure near the edge of the café.

Trevor nodded his thanks and moved towards the Quarren. Its light brown skin reflected the ambient light that lingered in the back of the cantina. Its bright eyes reflected bluish green and its facial tentacles that formed near the mouth gave Trevor a slight nervous energy. What he knew of the Quarren, they were not overly idealistic, so the idea of helping a Jedi in need might not go over very well.

"Excuse me, sir."

"Yeah?" the Quarren retorted.

"I have been told that you are the captain of a transport ship. I am looking for passage."

"For how many?"

Trevor waved his hand slowly in front of his body, gathering the Force to force the captain to accept his answer more readily. He forced the thought into the pilot's mind.

"The cargo is under negotiation." Trevor's tone was one of stern caution; he did not want to discuss this subject.

The captain mumbled something to the effect of cargo is always negotiable, giving Trevor the clear indication that he was successful in his attempt.

"Where do you need to go?"

"I need to get to the Core Systems."

"Coruscant?"

"Good a place as any?"

"Within the next six standard days."

"You expect me to wait?"

Trevor stared at the pilot. It was obvious to the pilot that this robed man in front of him was used to getting his way.

"Well, if you want me to wait, it's going to run you a thousand credits."

"How much time do need for warning?"

"Warning? What warning?"

Trevor leaned onto the table. "I am purchasing your ship for transport to the Core Systems and you are asking me if I need a warning. Do you have brains in there?" Trevor's voice was nearly a whisper, but the pilot understood the meaning behind the words.

"Look, you hired me, I fly. Any more questions? 1200 credits."

Trevor stood back up, thinking about the change in price. He did not have to say it, but he needed the transport as a backup plan. Worst case scenario, he did not have a transport, and he'd be stuck on Tatooine with fifty to one hundred slaves in tow with a Hutt crime lord all over his six.

"Ok, let me see if we understand the bargain. Twelve hundred credits. Half now, half upon delivery. And you can have your ship ready with a ten minute window."

The Quarren raised his hand. "With the understanding that the price might go up should I find that the 'cargo', whatever it is, is more than would be reasonably manageable."

Trevor nodded his acceptance of the addendum. "More than fair."

"My name is Greck, and you can reach me here at this 'fine' establishment."

"Well met, Greck."

The pair shook hands, and processed the monetary transaction in a few minutes. They also exchanged comlink frequencies, and Trevor left to walk around town one more time before turning in for the night. It had been a busy day, and Trevor wanted to get an early start. He finally found a fairly inexpensive place near his landing platform. The cashier took his money and gave him six woopi-woopi as change. Trevor nodded his thanks, headed to his room and bedded down for the evening. The actual room was Spartan even for Jedi standards, but Trevor was not interested in room décor; he continued to concentrate on the task at hand. He cleaned up, and laid down on the bed. Thought of his mission floated through his mind, but sleep eventually overcame him.

Trevor awoke the next morning to find the suns shining directly on his face. The double-sunrise gave Trevor a bit of a start and he looked at it for a few minutes. He shook himself out of his reverire and gathered his equipment. E5 had not contacted him during the night, so all was well with the ship. He walked to a local restaurant for his morning meal. He listened to the patrons for nearly forty-five standard minutes, but to no avail. Trevor shook his head as he paid for his bill, and continued to walk around town, continuing to listen for any information on any freighter. He continued for nearly ninety minutes listening to different conversations with no success.

Trevor thought to himself, 'There is so much random noise out here. Even if people are going to be talking about this guy showing up – of course he's going to be low profile so people probably won't talk about him, but even IF they do…How am I going to happen to be there when they are talking about him?'

Trevor was walking by a scruffy human and a Trendosian when he heard the human say, "Really? And where did you say that was?"

The Trendosain replied, "Somewhere far out there. More than half way to Mos Eisley from here.

"Who did you hear this from?"

"Garst was talking about it. He said he saw the ship coming down, even thought that it might have been one of Jabba's. It just opened fire on the thing. Just went down, out in the Jundland Wastes."

"What kind was it?"

"Barloz, as usual. So, never know. I mean people are crossing that Hutt all the time and they never learn. They just wind up getting wasted every time."

"Any survivors?"

"I doubt it, but you never know. It might have just winged 'em. Haven't showed up over here. I guess that's where it was headed, before Jabba's ship chased it off course."

Trevor doubled back towards the table. The pair was sitting in another common outdoor café. A food vendor had his cart just outside of the shade area. They were standing at a bar near the back. Trevor headed over there.

The Trendosian continued. "They probably had escape pods and stuff. But even if there were, by now the sandpeople would have gotten to 'em."

The scruffy human's eyes lit up. "What about wreckage? We might be able to find something to sell out there."

Shaking his head, the Trendosian replied, "Jawas would have gotten to it first. Or if they were really lucky, a krait dragon." Trevor walked up to the bar to get a better vantage point for the conversation. He ordered a drink from the barman, and just sat stock still. "If they were even two-thirds of the way to Mos Eisley, they've got a three day walk ahead of 'em. Back here to Mos Espa? They are looking at a six-day journey. There is no way they'd make it without running into something. And if Jabba's ship is out there, it's probably hunting them down and picking them off down on top of the rocks."

Trevor finished his drink, paid for it, and turned towards the pair. "Excuse me."

The human turned around, "Huh?"

"I am sorry to interrupt." The Trendoshan stiffened up at Trevor's pronouncement. "I happen to be waiting for a Barloz freighter. Do you happen to have any information on the name of this ship?"

The two stared at Trevor's blindfold, and both realized that a blind man would have better hearing than someone else. They both relaxed a bit more.

The Trendoshan responded first. "Just something a friend of mine said he saw."

"Oh, alright. Sorry to interrupt. I must be mistaken."

"What were you, uh, expecting? Anything valuable?"

"It is to my employer."

"Whose your employer?"

"My employer prefers to remain unnamed. I am sure most employers in this part of the galaxy would prefer to remain nameless."

The human turned back to his partner, who continued on with his tirade. "See, I'm tellin' ya. Even if they're still alive, or the cargo is still there, it is not worth messin' with it. Come on, I got some stuff that I need to tell Garst anyway. "

The two left the cantina, and Trevor stood a moment later heading directly back to his landing bay. Trevor had a very bad feeling that someone else was after the ship. This Jabba seemed to be another crime lord in the area. He did not want to get in the middle of that squabble. His trip back to the landing area brought him near Gardulla's home. Trevor noticed that the number of guards seemed to be the same, but their placement was now somewhat different. Most of the guards were located on the parapets and balconies of the palace, while the remainder were outside the gates, prowling around. Trevor also saw that one group of guards was looking in an easterly – southerly direction. Trevor pulled off into an alleyway, and communicated to E5.

"E5, has there been any activity to the east or southeast of the city?"

A negative signal came across the comlink, and Trevor did not need the translator to realize that E5's sensor did not pick up anything. Trevor paused just a moment more, and asked E5 to prep the ship. Trevor slipped back into walking traffic and headed back to his landing bay. On the way back, Trevor had the feeling that someone was following him. It wasn't a concrete feeling, but it certainly was something to listen to. Trevor found a hanger bay nearby, and walked into it. Trevor then acted as if he had turned into the wrong one, and retraced his steps right away. No one else was following him, so he headed back towards his ship as quickly as possible.

Trevor found his hanger with no further incident. E5 had the Whitecloak fired up and the canopy open, awaiting his arrival. The ship lifted off the ground as soon as Trevor started to close the canopy. Trevor guided the ship to the south and slightly west, to throw off any potential pursuers. E5 monitored the sensors and reported anything unusual, which thankfully was not much.

Once out of eyesight of Mos Espa, the Jedi turned his ship towards Mos Eisley. The ship and any wreckage would be easy to spot, so he instructed E5 to keep an eye out. Five minutes later, E5 detected signs of a crash, displaying the coordinates of the crash site. Trevor adjusted his heading in that direction and kept his vision ahead of him, searching as well. A few moments later, Trevor was flying over rugged, rocky area of the Jundland Waste when he spotted a fresh gouge in the plateau. Pieces of metal could be seen on the side of the plateau. Trevor slowed down, hovering above the site, when E5 diverted his attention. He could now see the crash site in better detail. The ship had caromed off the plateau and headed into a large ravine. The crashing of the ship had broken off smaller parts of the ship, scattering them all over the place. The rest of the ship was at the far end, crumpled and definitely unable to fly again. The main body area was still intact, enough to allow survivors to exist.

Trevor asked E5 to scan for other ships in the area, and got a negative response. He landed the ship, giving E5 instructions to keep the engines fired up for an immediate takeoff. Trevor climbed out and walked over to the wreckage. He listened for any signs of life, and could only hear the wind through the peaks. Trevor kept his hands inside his cloak, in case he needed to duck down for some reason. Trevor stopped halfway to the ship, and looked at the ground, finding more pieces of the ship all over the place. There were a large number of footprints where Trevor was currently standing. Trevor tried to figure out where the tracks went, and was rewarded with a glint of metal on the side of the ravine. Trevor nodded to himself, glad to know that there were some survivors. He continued to walk toward the ship, hoping against hope that there was a survivor here that would communicate with him.

Trevor got to the edge of the ship and slipped his lightsaber off his belt into his hand. He adjusted his sleeves to extend past his hands, hiding the weapon from view. He concentrated on moving his vision into the freighter. The first thing Trevor saw was an open cargo bay. What really caught his attention was the reconfiguration of the area with partitions. As he was looking at the storage area, Trevor heard a shuffling sound from within the freighter. Trevor readjusted his vision to follow the sound. He moved through a couple of storage areas and was able to find nutrient paste, water, water tanks, and all the paraphernalia of a slave ship; stun collars, binders, and vibropoles. Trevor moved into a third room and saw two figures standing with their backs to the door. The two figures wore sandy brown robes and both were holding some strange looking polearms with pointed ends. Their heads completed wrapped with bandages. Eyeholes and breath masks could be seen as very small holes in the coverings. Trevor could hear the gruntings of the two from the entrance point. They did not seem to realize that he was there, so he decided to walk in. Unsure what they were, Trevor's curiosity pushed him forward towards that storage room. Trevor walked slowly down the hall, keeping his vision on the two figures. As he walked down towards them, the two continued to argue about who would carry what. Suddenly, one of them lifted his head, grabbing his weapon and turned quickly around. He headed right out the door, and swung his weapon at Trevor.

Luckily for Trevor, he was able to move his head back to avoid the metal head of that club. The wind pushed Trevor's blindfold against his face. The loud metal CLANK of the club head against the bulkhead door caused Trevor to realize that this is a BIG metal club. Very solid, and these two were very strong. Trevor ignited his blade immediately and swung quickly, striking the creature's shoulders. The other now moved into range and swung at Trevor. Trevor threw himself backwards to avoid the attack. The first tried to jump in, but Trevor was able to anticipate the move, and swung his saber high, slicing it's head clean off. The second creature, now completely enraged by the ferocity of Trevor's attack, moved in closer, swinging wildly, denting doors as he moved towards Trevor. He ducked and swung back as well, but the creature jumped back enough to avoid a deadly blow. The creature stabbed the weapon at Trevor, but he sidestepped quickly causing the weapon to be lodged into the door. Trevor slashed at his attacker's hands, severing them from its body, still wrapped around the weapon. The unknown species fell backwards, banged his head against the wall, and slumped down on to the floor.

Trevor disengaged his lightsaber and watched the still-writhing being. He looked for the other weapon, and grasping it in his hand, turned back towards the slumped one. It saw Trevor grabbing the weapon and tried to get away. Trevor did not know what this creature's culture was like, but by the way they were arguing over water, it made sense to Trevor that this was a very barbaric culture, and if one cannot fight in such a culture, one is abandoned. This one would probably prefer a quick death instead of a slow one. Trevor gave the figure a salute with the weapon, took aim, and put the being out of its misery. As Trevor raised the weapon, the being nodded once, acknowledging that its death was imminent. Trevor did not like taking this life, as it was not in line with what he had be taught. However, Trevor rationalized that he would have died eventually. This was much better for the being to not be in pain, nor to have it go through the rest of it's life as a liability. Trevor took a few moments, laying the body next to his comrade. Both died in battle and he hoped that they were at a better place.

Trevor searched the rest of the ship looking for survivors. He found one Klatooinian, who seemed to have the remains of a weapon embedded in his neck. The bodies of three twi'leks were also found, all dead by the same blunt type of weapon. One had a blaster shot directly in the middle of his chest. It would seem these tried to fight the slavers and were unsuccessful. Trevor covered the bodies and headed back to the storage room. He grabbed some of the water from the storage area and headed back outside. These two dead fighters made Trevor much more anxious to find the original occupants of this freighter. If these beings decided to come here, then they would certainly make a try for the slaves. Trevor returned to the exit route of the slaves and climbed the wire rope up out of the ravine. Suddenly, Trevor's comlink squeaked.

"Yes?"

An indignant whistling greeted Trevor. He immediately placed his comlink on his datapad and received E5's inquiry.

"Where are you going?"

"I am following the path of the slaves to find out what direction they went."

"Don't go out of com range."

Trevor stopped climbing and turned around to the Whitecloak, located about seventy five meters away.

"Did Shudo reprogram you for protection as well?" Trevor asked rhetorically. No response dignified Trevor's question and that was fine enough for him. It seemed that Shudo also updated E5's programming with some additional Jedi Master logic. Trevor smiled as he put his equipment back into their respective pouches and continued to climb out of the ravine.

The top of the ravine was mostly rock, and tracks were impossible to find. Trevor searched for nearly fifteen minutes but was unable to make sense of the terrain. He backtracked down the ravine, climbed in and asked E5 to make more sensor sweeps. Taking off from the bottom of the ravine, Trevor hovered nearly fifty meters above the ground for a moment, got his bearings for Mos Eisley, and asked E5 if he had anything on the sensors. E5 got an immediate reading from the sensors of two large life form readings in a canyon just over three hundred meters away. Trevor flew towards the figures, and hovered the craft just above an outcropping a few moments later. It was far enough away to land the craft so as not to alert the slavers, but yet near enough so that they are not going to get too far.

Trevor thought about approaching directly, but it seemed that if there was another ship in the area, it would shoot Trevor down without any thought. Trevor directed E5 towards a plateau about two hundred meters away from the signals. He decided to approach on foot, as it made more sense. He hurried along, quieting down as he neared a ledge. He slowed down enough to walk. He did not pay any attention to the landscape, which was a mistake that caused the ledge he was on to break away. Trevor suddenly found himself on a flat piece of rock hurling down the cliff face. He was concentrating so hard on staying on his feet that he never saw another rock sticking up out of the ground. Trevor's landslide caught it, sending him sprawling into the ground. Trevor's vision caught a glimpse of something large and hairy on his right side running away from him.

The ground continued to tremble as Trevor readjusted his sight as he lifted his torso off the ground. The massive pile of fur was much faster than it looked. Trevor heard more footsteps coming from his left, and was completely surprised by another hairy 'space cow', this with long rolling tusks and lumbering feet. Trevor started to roll to his right, but the legs of the Bantha caught him mid-roll, and pushed him forward a few meters. Trevor rolled a little more, and was able to move out of the way of the large beast. Trevor's chest felt like it had just been shut between an airlock bulkhead and space. He curled into a fetal position trying to catch his breath. Grabbing his comlink, he tried to contact E5.

Inside the ship, E5 was continuously scanning Trevor's lifesigns. The other two signs seemed to be motionless. No idea why he wanted to go chasing ghosts, but humanoids were certainly strange. Suddenly, E5 noticed Trevor's lifeform falling down a hill. The screech that emitted from E5's vocal units was nothing compared to the hail of noise coming as Trevor's life sign and the other large one merged. Without being notified, E5 pushed the throttles forward toward the ravine.

Trevor had barely uttered "E5" when the whine of the Whitecloak engines could be heard. Trevor pushed himself up onto his hands and feet. The engines whimpered down, and Trevor slowly stood up, walked over to the ship. He climbed in, and shook his head. Gathering his breathe in slowly, Trevor asked E5 to get the ship moving towards Mos Eisley. The pain was subsiding and Trevor checked himself out. Nothing was broken, and that was a very good thing. Trevor closed his eyes, and upon using a Jedi technique of self-healing, felt better after a few seconds.

E5 communicated to Trevor, "Do you want me to continue searching?"

Trevor nodded, "Yes, please."

"Would you like to have me eliminate that type of life form from my readings?"

Trevor smiled, "Yes, definitely."

Trevor spent the next few minutes in a healing trance. Once he was done with the ritual, he opened his eyes, and decided that moving in a spiral pattern would be the best search tactic. Knowing that this would take a while, Trevor sat back and kept his vision open, hoping nothing else would happen.

After a half hour search, E5 finally picked up a life form reading in the direction that Trevor was flying. It was another very large reading; bigger than the Bantha reading. It was definitely different, E5 notified Trevor.

"Let's head in that direction."

On way there, E5 lost the signal twice, reacquired it and then lost it again. Trevor, during this time, looked outside of the ship. The landscape was a mix of rocky hills and sandy paths between. Deep canyons could be seen between high peaks. Trevor was looking at a column of smoke coming out of an outcropping when E5 gave him coordinates of the lift reading. It coincided directly with the smoke column. Trevor was unsure as to why there would be smoke, but if a large creature had sniffed out the slaves, it would be a veritable smorgasborg for the creature. Trevor redirected the fighter down to the column. E5 notified Trevor that there was a vast network of underground caves here. Trevor nodded, realizing that the slavers might have been trying to hide from the Whitecloak in the caves when they ran across something. They might have even been hiding from the creature.

"E5, let's split up. I want you to continue to scout the large lifeform. When you get a better image of it, let me know." Trevor jumped out of the ship as it neared a cliff face. The Whitecloak's engines spun up as it took off to monitor the creature in the caves. Knowing the astromech would probably be close by, Trevor immediately began to search for an entrance to the cave. Luckily he landed only fifteen meters from a very large entrance, large enough for two Banthas standing one on top of the other, and nearly three Bantha wide. Trevor walked over to it, peering his face gently around the corner. There were no signs of life down the corridor, but Trevor did not want to take the chance. He concentrated his vision down the long dark corridor. The darkness was gently filled in by his natural Force sight. The darkness faded to a nearly black-and-white image of the corridor. He adjusted his vision and soon the stalagtites and stalagmites of the cavern could be seen. Trevor walked as quietly as he could down the corridor, checking every so often for loose rocks that would give his position away.

Trevor stopped halfway down the hall, listening for any sounds in the corridor. The wind gently blew down the corridor, echoing across the rocks. The echoes of the cave brought to Trevor a nearly rhythmic sound of something scraping against a rock. His night vision was now fully in effect giving Trevor the illusion of daylight. He moved his vision down the tunnel, which intersected another perpendicular tunnel. This larger tunnel branched upward to the left, downward to the right. The downward tunnel seemed to be block, so Trevor investigate the upslope. Sounds continued to play tricks on Trevor's mind, but his vision showed rocks showering out from the upper part of the tunnel. Trevor moved his vision forward and was greeting with a large pair of back legs of a huge creature. It seemed to be trying to open the existing tunnel wider so that it could get through to the other side. Trevor switched his vision back to where he was hidden. 'This creature does not know that I am here, so I am going to get out.'

Trevor turned around and headed out. As he walked out, his vision caught sight of a blaster power cell. Trevor squatted down, looking at it closely. As he picked up the power cell, another power cell was nearby. Trevor got the impression that someone was firing continuously and performing a quick reload. He turned his vision up at the walls and the ceiling. What caught it was the plethora of blaster marks. The height of the blaster marks made him think that whoever it was firing that much was trying to hit something higher than himself. Trevor could envision that tall creature coming into the cave, and the slavers trying to hold it at bay. The way the blaster marks scarred the walls it made sense. Blood was splattered everywhere. He walked up to the nearest blood spot and scraped a sample off. He sent it to E5 for analysis, and then doubled back towards the intersection of the two tunnels.

He reached the far end of the tunnel and look down, instead of up. Instead of the tunnel being blocked as he original thought, he realized that this was a carcass of a similar creature to the one digging in the other tunnel. The hard-shelled back covered the entire body, included the claws which made up the base of the angular legs. The claws each has small digits on the end, causing Trevor to shudder slightly. 'I would not want to meet this creature.' He promised himself that he would research the type of creature at a later date. The creature did have a soft underbelly, which he could see, but not investigate further. He moved down toward the head where a large crest seemed to extend out from the neck, protecting the head. More blaster marks were here on the wall.

"Gave them a run for their money, didn't you?"

Trevor noticed that embedded under the crest was some sort of device. Reached out with Force and pulled device from the neck. It was very well stuck in there, but did finally come loose. The device flew across the room into Trevor's hand. The smell was a bit disconcerting. It seemed to be a small transmitter / receiver, designed to stimulate the nervous system. Trevor guessed that this device might be used to drive a creature mad. Trevor continued to hear the sounds of the other creature in the upper tunnel. 'The other one might have one inside. Someone did not want these slavers to be alive at the end of the day. Who ever it is, they are pretty pissed off.'

Trevor turned his face up, and sent his vision towards the other creature. He walked up the tunnel towards the intersection. His vision showed the other creature continuing to pound on the opening at the other end. He tried to watch the neck to see if another device was lodged into its neck. Due to his concentration of the creature, Trevor never saw the rock that connected with his foot. The sudden shifting behind it caused the creature to stop trying to get into the next room. It turned in on itself, reversing its position with relative ease. Trevor's jaw dropped when he saw this thing turn around as if it was on a fulcrum.

It moved down the corridor, trying to find the source of the sound. Trevor realized that he was right in the middle of the corridor. Trevor looked quickly at the cavern and finally noticed that there was a small alcove directly above him. Trevor pulled the Force within him, and jumped straight up towards the alcove. He easily jumped the twenty meters into the alcove. He climbed up into the alcove, just barely above the opening.

The creature cleared the upper tunnel and walked into the intersection. It jabbed its claws into every nook and corner of the tunnel, trying to find where the sound came from. Trevor moved his vision above the creature to be able to get a better view of the device. He reached out and tried to grab it with the Force again. But this time, a different reaction came about. The creature suddenly went into frenzy, lashing out with its claws all over the tunnel. A claw nearly clipped his hiding space. He reached out one more time, this time pulling the device free from the creature. The frenzy continued for a few seconds more. Trevor was able to watch the creature slow down, and eventually head out of the cave. He could hear it as it neared the entrance, but then it disappeared.

He loosened his grip on his hiding area, gathering the Force to safely bring him back down to the ground. Trevor looked at the electrostatic spinal agitators, placed both into his utility belt, and then looked around the tunnel. A muffled voice wafted its way down to him. The echoes were definitely giving him a hard time in distinguishing where the voices were coming from. One moment they were coming from up the tunnel, the next they seemed to be coming from the roof. It did not make any sense to him, until he realized that maybe there was a tunnel above him. He took his vision and raised it up through the alcove. It continued higher up above his hiding spot, as if it was a fissure in the rock. It was hard to see inside, but he continued to follow it along until it opened into another chamber. It was four meters wide and just over a meter in height, but the deep ceiling seemed to go on above the corridor where the creature was located.

Trevor continued to push his vision forward and was greeted with a vast cavern large enough to hold the creature. Inside the cavern were approximately thirty twi'leks gathered together directly below the ledge. The cavern did open up to the tunnel but the size of the opening was only big enough for a humanoid to fit through. Trevor realized that this ledge was a perfect place to hide. No one of the slavers probably even knew that it was there. Trevor rested a moment, performed a Jedi mantra, and then Force-jumped back into the crevasse where he was hiding earlier. Trevor wedged himself against the walls, climbing slowly and very stealthily. He continued to climb for the next few minutes, and scrambled his way to the ledge.

He looked out over the cavern taking in the scene. The slavers had split themselves up into four small areas. Three were guarding the slaves from different positions. A Klatooinan was directly below Trevor's hiding spot. Another Klatooinan was directly across the cavern, and a Nikto was near a large puddle at the back of the cavern. Near the opening, Trevor could see three more investigating where the monster was that had chased them.

"Where is it?" Trevor heard a voice climb up to him.

"I don't know," a second voice nearly screamed at him.

"Do you think there is someone else out there that made it walk away?"

"I said, I don't know where that Aklai went! Now keep your eyes open!"

Trevor's vision caught sight of the face of Vizaad Kha. The face was half covered with a metal helm. Kha's left eye seemed to have been replaced by a cybernetic viewing device. The group near the tunnel opening was certainly busy with the tunnel and preoccupied with that area.

Trevor realized that a distraction would work well to his advantage. Using the Force, Trevor picked up a stone and dropped it down the fissure. The noise caused Kha and his two Niktos jumped at the sound, raising their weapons in fear. The others seemed to ignore the trio, as they had been doing this for at least a half hour.

Trevor took a deep breath and jumped down next to the guard near the twi'leks. The Klatooinan guard never saw him coming. Trevor landed next the guard and threw his elbow into his face. The Klatooinan was knocked back against the wall, causing him to drop his weapon. A male twi'lek leapt up from his spot, and jumped for the gun. The twi'lek quickly grabbed the gun and fired blindly at the other two guards. The shot hit the Nikto guard square in the chest. The Klatooinan slumped down, dead.

Trevor turned around and saw the other guard coming from across the room firing at the twi'lek. The shot was true, causing the twi'lek to drop. Another twi'lek bounded up and grabbed the dropped weapon, standing over his wounded comrade.

Trevor interposed himself between the Klatooinan guard who fired again. This time, Trevor deflected the laser fire back at the guard. The guard was hit immediately, but he was still standing. By this time, the Klatooinan and Nikto guards realized that something was wrong. They saw a tall blindfolded man with a lightsaber turning laser fire around towards their comrade. They took aim at him, but Trevor turned that laser fire back onto their owners. The laser bolts smashed into their shoulders. All three of the guards moved closer to Trevor, causing him to twist and slash his lightsaber around his body. Before any more weapon fire could be loosed, Trevor slashed through the air at the nearest Klatooinan who was from Kha's door guard. His blade sliced clean through its abdomen. Trevor, sensing the last twi'lek guard coming up behind him, whipped his torso around, outstretching his arm. The lightsaber caught the guard unawares, severing his head in one smooth motion. Trevor turned around and approached the final guard and Kha.

The slaver Vizaad took aim at the blindfolded Jedi and fire directly at Trevor. He barely ducked out of the way in time. The other shot doesn't even come close. Trevor could not get even close to that Nikto, but if he did not get close, it was going to be a very short mission. Trevor advanced on the pair, keeping his lightsaber in front of him. They continued to fire upon Trevor, catching his robes a few times too many. Trevor's energy reserves were draining very quickly, and adrenaline was not going to make it much longer.

The remaining guard approached the Jedi, feeling very cocky. Trevor kept pace and twisted his body around to slice the guard nearly in half. The guard died instantly.

Trevor noticed that Kha had reached down and pulled out a second blaster pistol. Kha took aim at Trevor, and fired.

'I am not going to be able to take this much longer.' The first shot was wide. The second shot Trevor tried to deflect back to Kha, but was not even close. The third shot hit Trevor squarely on the left shoulder, spinning him around. Trevor's whole arm felt numb. With a near-rage feeling in his stomach, Trevor whipped his lightsaber around, one handed.

Kha knew he had hit the blindfolded Jedi and caused a near mortal wound. 'I have you know, whelp' he thought to himself. He never saw the lightsaber coming up from the Jedi's crouch. The saber severed his head cleanly from his body. 'How odd,' Kha thought, 'I never expected to lose my head over this…'

Trevor's breathing was ragged and very intense. Blood pooled on Trevor's cloak, but he ignored the pain. He still had a mission to complete, and passing out was not an option. He checked Kha's body, and removed the eyepiece to prove to the Council that Vizaad Kha was indeed dead. The slaves stood up and gathered themselves near Trevor as he finished with the bodies.

The group exited the caverns with no problem. Trevor contacted Grast with the coordinates of their current location. Twenty minutes later, Grast's ship landed on the plateau. As soon as the dust settled, Grast walked out of his ship towards Trevor, tentacles twitching. Trevor walked over to meet him, lightsaber hanging down in plain view.

"Glad to see you made it."

"Yeah. So, where is your… cargo?"

"You are looking at it."

"What is this, like fifty people?"

"No, thirty-eight."

Grast looked over at E5 and the Whitecloak.

"Thirty-eight. You taking that yourself or are you riding with me?"

"I'll be with you."

"We are going to Coruscant, right? The Jedi Temple, I assume. Can I also assume that there will be an increase in pay, as this is going to put a strain on my resources."

Trevor did not even argue with Grast on the increase cost. Trevor transferred the money immediately, due to the quick response of Grast to their location. He felt a little better, but not well enough to pilot a ship. Trevor felt better being on the ship, both to make sure that the pilot gets to their location, but to also make sure that the slaves were as comfortable as possible. E5 coordinated the jump, and Trevor instructed him to match speed. E5 notified Trevor that the trip would take eight days. Trevor had enough on his hand to deal with. Hopefully, things were not going to be too hectic.

The trip, all in all, was rather uneventful. Grast was not what most would call a social butterfly, but the fact that the twi'leks were so animated and happy to be free that they constantly thanked Grast for his transport. Grast, normally not a happy pilot, felt that the intrusion was not worth the cost of the fare, but the constant honest thankfulness of the twi'leks thawed some of the coolness from his demeanor. The entry to Coruscant was rather routine, except that Grast was not used to be allowed immediately access to the landing routine.

The freighter landed in the Jedi Temple, and a crew of Jedi Healers and Med-Corp triage folks were waiting for them in the hanger bay. The former slaves would be checked out and then processed through the Republic diplomatic core. Trevor stayed with Grast and made sure that the Quarren's ship was completely restocked full. He also added more to the final price of the fare. Trevor wanted to make sure that Grast was completely escorted and taken care of. Once Grast had taken off, Trevor headed up the turbolift towards the Council Chambers.

The doors opened into the Jedi Chambers, showing all twelve members of the Jedi Council in attendance. Trevor also noticed that Shudo was in the back of the room, in the position of advisor to Trevor. Trevor spent the next thirty minutes detailing the mission from start to finish. The end battle with Vizaad Kha was almost not accepted by a couple of members of the Council. Trevor had anticipated that. He showed Masters Yoda, Windu and Mundi the eye from Vizaad Kha.

The remainder of the Council was very pleased. They dismissed him with instructions to continue to study and to work on his skills. Trevor bowed to the Council, thanking them for this mission. He turned and headed out the door, towards his new apartment. The Council seemed pleased, but it was always very hard to tell, as the stoic faces never let their emotions run away or get out of control. Trevor wasn't sure of the short term, but he could feel that the Force held plenty of surprises waiting for him.


	8. Chapter 8

ROGUE SABRES

_The evening bustle in the main road barely reached the back corner of the alley. Two older males, one human and the other with the distinctive shape of a Rodian head, could be heard causing enough snoring noise to wake the dead. The large figure walked down the alley, turning one way and then another, giving the impression of a choice to be made. Suddenly a red shaft of light emerged from the left arm. It impaled the human directly between its eyes, severing the connection from the brain to the rest of the body. The blade extended beyond the head into the duracrete building. The Rodian shifted slightly and blinked its eyes. The blood-red eyes turned onto the Rodian, startling it backwards into a second duracrete wall. The wall held him still as the red blade swiftly sliced the air and connected, leaving a second body opposite the first. The column of light retreated into a metallic cylinder. The figure turned, walked deeper into the alley and disappeared into the night._

The morning sun shown into the interior of the Jedi Temple with natural warmth and light. Traffic patterns could be seen filling up with cargo ships and skycabs as the morning light drifted through the blinds on Trevor's window. Gone was the skull cap, replaced with a very brightly colored blindfold. Trevor had been working on this new covering for some time, and felt that, as a Jedi, he would need to keep his face as unrecognizable as possible. Working with the instruments gathered from the Jedi storage rooms gave Trevor a few moments of peace each day. The recent week since returning from Tatooine had given him some time to work on smaller projects, while trying to commune with the Force. There was something within Trevor that felt nearly at home here, but there was also a feeling of change. He decided that working on a new covering would allow him time to meditate and let the Force communicate with him. It also gave him time to compose notes to people he had met over the last few months.

In the days since returning from Tatooine, he had sent messages to the people that he had already met, just keeping in touch to see how much their lives had changed since he had been a very large part of their life for an extremely short time. Hearing from the people he had met would be a rather interesting pastime, as well as a way to keep up contacts across the galaxy, even from informal sources.

_The music from the cantina was certainly loud and the cacophony from inside could be heard through the quarter. The human male led his companion towards the refreshers. Keeping in time with the music the two danced their way toward the back. Unaware of directions, the two walked directly into the back alleyway. The pair laughed heartily at their mistake. Suddenly a red shaft of light could be seen directly behind them. The male was taken completely by surprise. He releases his blaster pistol and shot straight ahead, remarkable based on his intoxication levels. The shot however moved unhindered directly into the wall. The red shaft sliced quickly downward, cutting the man in two. The female turned quickly and fled the scene. She never left the alleyway. _

_The drunk was finishing up the third bottle when a noise startled him into near sobriety. The tall figure with red eyes stood in the middle of the alley, keeping him from getting past. The drunk said a few hazy words, but the figure did not respond immediately. A red shaft of light extended from its left arm, and proceeded menacingly, approaching him without regard for personal safety. The drunk, now thoroughly frightened, was even more terrified when laser fire interrupted the sequence yet again. The figure turned its attention towards the location of the shooter and even began to make a few steps forwards. This drunk human had had enough by this point. He bolted out of the alley as quickly as possible, trying to save his own neck. When stopped later, he would not be able to remember a thing about the shooter, except to say that 'it was trying to kill me!' Or something like that, the authorities mused._

Brea's reply was rather interesting. Brea is continuing her successful run as assistant curator of the Aldera Museum of Galactic History. She recently finished supervising the installation of a small expansion of the Sith Gallery, featuring a holographic model of a Dashade, as well as a small holovid about the recent break-in and attack thwarted by the Jedi Trevor Gul'dan ("Don't worry, it's suitably modest!"). Trevor read this and was suitable embarrassed. He really didn't need the attention, and he wasn't sure the Council was going to be real happy about it either.

Brea also wrote about Nilz Yomm, the curator of the museum. It seemed that he is doing his part to downplay the sensationalism of the Museum's recent events in an effort to maintain the level of austere respectability favored by the administrators. However, he has repeatedly made statements commending the efficiency and professionalism of the Jedi involved in the investigation. The public continues to remain unaware of the theft of the Sith artifact.

Princess Azulia had returned to her home world with the racer Zynonyx, where she was to perform in an informal celebratory pod race. Three days before the race, the Princess disappeared from the public eye. On the night before the race, a security leak revealed that the Princess' whereabouts were unknown even to the royal family. The King stoically insisted that the race continue, "as Azulia would have wished it to." After taking the trophy for the race, Zynonyx revealed her true identity as Princess Azulia. After several days of whispered gossip, the Princess unveiled her plans to head a new elite planetary-defense star fighter squadron, fully endorsed by the King. The pilots' training is to involve challenging pod racing runs as a reflex-enhancing exercise. Rampant rumors speculate that the King was aware of Azulia's pod racing identity and cooperated in her faked disappearance as a publicity stunt. The Princess has not directly confirmed or denied these rumors. Trevor smiled, knowing that the Princess was certain to have been involved with the 'charade'. It just had Azulia's nature written all over it.

Trevor continued to work the bindings of his new coverings, musing over the turn of events in the galaxy. He let his hands work to complete the weave of an intricate pattern to denote a Miraluka Jedi.

It had been nearly six weeks since returning from Tatooine. Trevor continued to work on his studies, but nothing really interested him. He continued to spar and train in the exercise rooms, and it made Trevor feel better that he seemed to be improving each day. He began to think that nothing exciting would happen. During his evening meditation, a knock was heard on his front door. Trevor stood up, and answered it. A Jedi Youngling was seen standing in front of his door.

"Yes? May I help you?"

"Sir, you have been summoned to the Jedi High Council Chambers immediately."

"Lead on"

The pair walked immediately towards the turbolift, however the Youngling only stood off to the side. Trevor nodded his thanks to the young lad, and moved into the lift. He departed the lift, and walked directly through the open door of the chambers. The entire twelve members of the Jedi Council were present, giving Trevor the feeling of very bad news indeed. The final lights of the sun gave an eerie tone to the chamber and council members.

"A mission we have for you," Master Yoda spoke, his voice serious.

"There have been a number of disturbing murders on the planet Ord Mantell. Fifteen in the last month," continued Mace Windu.

Master Eeth Koth nodded his horn-studded head. "Murder is not unusual in such rough communities," he said calmly, his eyes betraying first-hand knowledge of such places. "But these have been unusual enough for the Council to take note."

"As far as we know," Mace interjected, "there has been no connection between the victims. They were mostly low-profile types; civilians, two law-officers, several off-worlders, even a local bounty-hunter. What is troubling is the way in which they died..." The pregnant pause seemed to drop the temperature in the chambers.

Master Yoda leaned forward, his green eyes darkened with a troubled scowl. When he finally spoke, his voice was low and filled with danger. "Killed with a lightsaber the victims were."

The other masters exchanged concerned looks as Trevor stood silently, his mind reeling with the implications. Nearly a minute of silence went by before the next voice was raised.

"We want you to investigate the area of the Ord Mantell Spaceport," Master Windu said. "Nearly all the deaths occurred there, with the exception of a sport-hunter in the badlands three kilometers west of the city, and the deaths of two civilians at an automated scrap-smelting facility on the northern outskirts."

"Are there any other Jedi in the area that we know of?" Trevor asked. He was pleased that his voice managed to retain a calm tone.

Master Windu shook his head. "We don't believe that there are any Jedi currently in the system."

Ki-Adi-Mundi fixed Trevor with his intent gaze. "There have been numerous reports of rogue Jedi, but that is to be expected." Anytime a lightsaber had been mentioned in past history, Trevor recalled, people in the Outer Rim had always assumed a 'rogue Jedi' was to blame for something. Lightsabers were certainly common, but the secret to making them was very well hidden amongst those in the order.

"These are probably nothing more than rumors spread by frightened locals," Mace said dismissively. "The idea of a rogue Jedi going on a killing spree like this is hard to believe."

Trevor nodded, pondering this flood of disturbing information. "Are there any reliable ideas about who might be capable of these killings?" He asked.

"We know almost nothing about this killer," Master Depa Billaba said softly. "The local authorities haven't been able to turn up a single witness. The truth is that we don't know if it is a fallen Jedi, a murderer with a stolen lightsaber, or even a Sith." The skin on Trevor's arms grew a layer of cold like he'd not experienced in a long time. "This mission could become very dangerous. We don't want you to actively pursue the killer--just investigate. If at all possible, you are to avoid any meetings with this individual in the flesh."

"Of course, if it becomes necessary to protect innocent lives, you may be forced to take action," Windu added. "Follow your best judgment, but remain cautious."

"Of course, Master" Trevor nodded. "Is it possible that these murders are related to the transport ship that Master Shudo and I confiscated on Metallos?"

The assembled masters exchanged thoughtful glances. Master Yoda nodded slowly.

"Possible it is," he murmured. "Likely, I would say."

"That is the reason Master Shudo agreed that you should be given this assignment," added Master Windu. "He would be going with you, if it were not for other pressing matters."

Trevor wondered what business might keep Shudo away from such an important mission, but the serious gazes of the other Council members discouraged Trevor from asking about it for the moment.

"Who is the contact person leading the investigation on Ord Mantell?" he asked instead.

"We've received most of our information from the Spaceport's Chief of Security, a man named Tobras Boca." Master Windu said. "You are to contact him as soon as you arrive at the city."

"And how often should I report back to the Council, Master?" Trevor asked.

"Chief Boca will be providing us with regular updates," Master Windu said, "but we want you to contact us as soon as anything useful turns up."

Trevor nodded in acknowledgement.

"Now, you should make preparations for departure," Mace continued. "We do not want this situation to escalate any further. May the Force be with you."

Trevor bowed to the Council, turned on his heel and headed out. As the doors to the Council closed, Yoda and Windu turned to one another. "Is he ready for this?"

"Trust in him Shudo does. His council we should respect."

"I am sure that Shudo knows what he is doing, but there is something else going on here."

"Find it on his own we should allow him. Strong in the Force this one is. Not as strong as some. Certainly an asset for the order, hmm?"

Trevor had not been on a murder investigation before, at least not one that he could remember within recent memory. To get the most out of this mission, he decided to visit the head Jedi Investigators' office. The Jedi assigned to Investigations were some of the best investigators in the galaxy. Even the Republic Judicials called upon Jedi investigators from time to time to review extremely difficult cases. Trevor was able to contact Jedi Xondin, an older, grey-haired male humanoid who was a fountain of information. They talked for nearly an hour about the best way to gather information regarding those areas of investigations that Trevor would need most. Two pieces of information that seemed to resonate with him. One was not to be afraid to use underworld contacts, false identities or even Force-Suggestion. The second piece was to look for obvious clues, then keep looking until you find the details that others deemed unimportant. This will be the way to break the case, he divulged.

Trevor thanked the man, and then headed off towards a tailor. A change of outfit might make the clientele on Ord Mantell more willing to talk to him instead of having the traditional clothing he'd been wearing for the last few years. He talked with Janita, a human whose simple designs suited the Jedi's taste for simplicity. Nearly twenty minutes later, Trevor walked out of the salon wearing a nearly white shirt, and black pants with two holsters wrapped around his thighs. He walked out a new Jedi, and those that saw something in Trevor's face that was certainly different: grim determination.

E5 rolled into the hanger bay towards his normal assignment. In the six weeks since returning from Tatooine the Whitecloak had undergone a near complete overhall of the hyperdrive and the sublight engines just to make sure that they continued to work optimally. An incoming message from Trevor notified him that the Whitecloak needed to be ready to launch in fifteen minutes. A second message from the traffic control droids that they would be flying to Ord Mantell. E5 began the astrogation computations, and a subroutine within the astromech droid's brain realized that Trevor might need a map of the Ord Mantell spaceport. The squat, spunky droid also queried the Jedi Holycron wondering what Trevor might be up to. The Jedi Holicron was the largest collection of Jedi knowledge known in the galaxy. It was a self sufficient library unto itself, and requests were usually made in person. The Holicron was certainly intelligent enough to realize that E5 had been with the Order as an astromech for many years under Shudo Laan. The sub-routines that Shudo had downloaded allowed for a blanket download of the mission parameters and additional materials for Trevor to review. E5 knew that Trevor was still a bit green around the edges, and maybe this would finally shake the green from the young pup's neck. Trevor walked directly to the assigned spacecraft and patted E5 on the dome.

"Well, looks like we are off again. Let me know when you are ready, old friend."

E5 whistled an affirmative response, and went back to his work.

Trevor eased the fighter off the platform and veered directly to Hyperspace Jump Point 52. He entered the final coordinates into the navicomputer, where E5 and the nav-com double checked the calculations to verify that they were not going to be running into a supernova or, worse, a planet. With the confirmation from both E5 and the computer, Trevor slid the hyperdrive throttle forward. The stars outside the canopy streaked and the Whitecloak fighter disappeared from view. Once the hyperspace tunnel was open, Trevor took a moment to gather the data that E5 had downloaded. He was particularly interested in the official law-enforcement reports of all the incidents. Trevor reviewed the list for the next hour, trying to find a pattern that did not fit, or hoping that something would pop out to allow him a clue as to what was going on in the area surrounding the Ord Mantell Spaceport. He reviewed the logs of the homicides to get a better understanding of the unknown assailant. The datafile showed gave a timeline from the current date.

T-30 days:Male Human / Male Rodian indigents (Industrial Hallway)

T-29 days:Female Human escort / Male Twi'lek (Casino District alley)

T-24 days:Sullustan freighter pilot (Docking Bay Hall)

T-21 days:Male human law enforcement officer (Residential alley)

T-15 days:Two male human technicians (automated scrap-smelting facility)

T-13 days:Male human businessman (vacationer, entertainment district)

T-9 days:Male human droid merchant & 19 labor droids (Business district)

T-7 days:Male Klatooinian dockworker / Female human law enforcement officer (Docking Bay Facility)

T-3 days:Male human bounty hunter / Female Pacithhip weapon merchant (weapons shop)

T-1 day:Male Gran sport hunter (Western Badlands)

Trevor mulled over this information for nearly two hours, but nothing gave him any idea what was going on or even who would be behind these attacks. The victims were completely random. It did not make any organized thought behind these attacks. Trevor realized that this may be the clue. _Killed with a lightsaber the victims were._ Yoda's voice penetrated his thoughts, adding to the confusion already there. He gave E5 his normal traveling instructions and dropped off to a deep meditative trance. Maybe the Force would reveal something on the other side. Trevor remembered that Jedi Master Ida-Whentell Lumaviani had given him instruction on using the Force to foresee the future. He tried to give himself up to the Force to gather some hint as to who was behind all these murders, but after just a few minutes, nothing came to him. Trevor knew that he had not done well in those classes and it did not surprise him that the Force did not reveal itself to him. Trevor ate a quick meal and drifted off into his normal trace, giving E5 instructions to wake him upon arrival to the system.

The Jedi Whitecloak entered Ord Mantell Spaceport with very little difficulty. The port authority's stodgy docking bay was near the middle of the city. The traffic within the city proper was not as busy as one would first things. The morning sun painted the sky in a brilliant blaze of sienna and orange at just before dawn. Traffic was certainly light at this point in the morning. The cityscape crawled nearly on top of itself. Each separate district threatened to overlap its neighbor and fight for its own space. The buildings were a mishmash of newer flashing casinos and hotels with blocky warehouse buildings directly across the street. The landing area was much smaller than expected, but the city founders were certainly making a profit being a stopping point for smugglers and bounty hunters.

Trevor landed the ship without incident. E5 commented on the smooth landing, and Trevor shook his head, still wondering if Shudo had placed more in the subroutines than he intended. A flowing black cloak appeared across the landing area. The figure moved forward with the grace of a fighter and the nose to prove that he had been on the other end of a fist more often than he probably would care to admit. Trevor walked over, feeling a bit overwhelmed at the sheer bulk of the man. The insignia emblazoned on the shoulder identified him as Chief Boca. Trevor introduced himself as the man neared the ship.

"We are glad to have you here. Do you need rest or refreshment after your trip?"

"No, let's get started."

"Excellent. Follow me, please."

Chief Boca led the small group out of the landing area into a small alcove. The walls seemed to be cracking with age and looked like it would not hold an R2 unit up. However, the equipment inside certainly belied the exterior. The computer equipment looked to be completely up-to-date, with a smattering of older terminals. The layout gave Trevor the impression of a standard law enforcement receiving room, where the public could give statements and report law violations. Boca motioned to a couple of deputies, who responded with salutes and nods. A conference room was made available for them and the pair sat down opposite one another.

"Master Jedi, let me start by saying that this is a rather interesting series of events. I am not sure where to start."

Trevor leaned over placing his arms on the table. "Let's go over all the evidence that you've collected first. At the same time, I'd like to have my astromech work with your analysis droids to send their analysis to Coruscant. The Jedi Temple has some great analysis facilities and we can work together to get to the bottom of this."

"Yes, we would. It's not like we can't handle ourselves, mind you, however rumors are starting to reach me that the populace is starting to talk about a rogue Jedi." Boca stared the young Jedi down. Boca's shoulders seemed to grow broader as the conversation went on, almost starting to get confrontational.

"Chief, I'm here to augment your forces, not take it over. I only offer it to cover the bases. Can I see what you have?"

Boca's shoulders visibly relaxed. He brought in all of the data that was available. Trevor summoned E5 to the analysis room that was set up. Fifteen minutes later, E5 was plugged in and began to cross check data. Analysis droids started twittering and E5 responded back to them. Trevor smirked at the banter, as he could only assume it was. Boca looked at Trevor.

"Something wrong?"

"No, just haven't seen my astromech more at home than talking with other droids. Chief, would it be possible to get a map downloaded to my datapad of the locations of these murders? I'd like to take a walk." Boca walked over to the terminal, punched in the query, and overlaid the data on Trevor's map. Trevor instructed E5 to continue to analyze the data, but not to contact him. He left immediately for the first crime scene.

The alleyway where the human and Rodian were killed gave no immediately clues as to what was at work here, but Trevor felt that following the path of the killer would lead him in the right direction. The clues were weeks old, and did not make any sense. The alley had not been cleaned for many years, and the fact that more than one person was killed here gave Trevor the impression that someone was testing their new lightsaber. The precision of the human's kill was very good, nearly flawless. Trevor only spent about twenty minutes at the scene. Nothing new here. Considering it was the oldest site, Trevor expected nothing less.

The next crime scene gave Trevor a better picture of the cunning involved with the assailant. The assailant was extremely tall and very stealthy. The pair had not realized that their attacker was even there until the last possible moment. The male had been able to fire one shot, but the impact of the laser fire was such that Trevor was certain the shot missed. The poor man had been cut down before he'd been able to get off a second shot. The female had run away, but was unable to escape cleanly. Based on some internal calculations, Trevor realized that this assailant was much taller than he. The laser fire that had felled the woman was just over his head, but definitely less than Shudo's height. Not much else was gained at this location.

The smelting facility was the next crime scene that gave quite a bit of information. The guard on duty had given Trevor a list of what was going on at the plant that day. It seemed that there was a problem with a ventilation shaft near the roof. It took nearly six standard hours to shut down the entire facility. With the smelting process going on, no normal human would be able to get near the placed without gagging on the fumes and noxious gases in the building. Even though most of the gas was directed out through the tall exhaust chimneys, technicians needed special suits to go through. Stoppage in production had caused a second team to investigate the ventilation shaft and the disappearance of the first team. The bodies were found soon after fixing the ventilation.

The droid merchant's business had a temporary duracrete covering the hole created by the attacker. The hole was very large, bigger than Trevor would need in both width and height. Trevor scrunched his face in regards to the size of the hole and his estimate of how high the assailant would be. He showed a data card to the security droid there, and was allowed in. Trevor walked through the shop, but was unable to gather any information. More than likely, E5 would have a better list of things missing.

Trevor continued through the rest of the list, noting a few items here and there. The Klatooinan who was cut down in a landing bay nearly across the city was sliced nearly into. Trevor noticed that the slash was at a different angle than he was used to seeing. It suddenly dawned on him that the slash was opposite from what Trevor would normally perform. The attacker seemed to be left handed. For someone who normally practiced and fought right handed, this was very valuable information, as a left handed being would handle a sword or saber differently than a right handed being.

The weapons merchant's wall had been completely smashed in. The entire interior looked like a war zone and the exterior support structures relayed the fact that the building was certainly nearing demolition time due to the battle that waged inside. Both the bounty hunter and the weapons merchant had grabbed any weapon hanging around and the carnage showed. Trevor though that a security cam would be helpful, but realized that the type of business here would frown on such normal security devices. Trevor stood in the middle of the room. His attention wandered, until a specific pattern on the back wall drew him in. The back wall was littered with dual blaster holes equidistant apart. Quite a few of them were littered all over the back wall. Trevor squinted hard at the holes, wondering where he'd seen something like this before. He searched his memory, recalling all the people he had run into the last few months. Suddenly, the droids on Metallos showed in his memory. He recalled the armaments of those droids, and a double barreled blaster could be added very easily.

Trevor turned around and looked at the opening to the weapon merchant's wall. Bumps appeared on his arms as he suddenly envisioned one of those battle droids walking through the hole and blasting up the entire place with a double blaster firing away wildly. Trevor froze in the middle of the room, his spine tingling with anticipation and concern. A vision of a datapad floated into Trevor's mind as another piece of the puzzle clicked into place. The shipment on Metallos had a schematic of a custom droid arm, complete with a socket for what could have been a lightsaber handle. The implications of this discovery nearly dropped Trevor to his knees. If battle droids could be outfitted with lightsabers, it could spell the end of the Jedi Order. If any of the rumors going through the Temple were true, then rough times were ahead indeed.

He vacated the weapon merchant's shop and decided to forgo the rest of the list. The sun was nearly three-quarters across the sky and he felt that he needed to walk across the city to clear his head and organize this new information. He stopped at a small sandwich shop, purchased a simple meal, and pondered the possible advantages of having a droid wield a lightsaber. True, they could not call upon the Force to handle the weapon or any other of the trainings that he had been taught, but the fact that a droid could be programmed to hold it, and slash it was definitely intriguing and scary.

The sun was starting to set and the weather started to get a bit chilly as Trevor sauntered back to the security station. His senses were on edge due to the fact that he would not be able to pick up a droid wielding a lightsaber through the Force. Droids were not immune to the effects of the force; rather they did not give off any life energy with which to sense them within it. He was so intent on the dynamics of the droid that his senses were searching all around him for danger. He picked up flashes of emotions from certain seedy bars, but nothing that would alert him to danger or even the Dark Side. Suddenly his Jedi senses went into high gear, sensing a familiar presence in the Force. Trevor nearly whipped around in recognition, but applied his will power to continue walking. He reached back out, concentrating on the feeling but was unable to reach it a second time. He walked over to a small alcove, keeping out of the way of pedestrian traffic. He gently reached out with the Force, slowly searching each being for that familiar feeling. He was able to detect a Force sensitive who was definitely strong enough to have had some training with the Force. The figure did not seem to be using the Force to hide from Trevor, but that being was certainly guarded. This person was certainly working to keep hidden from the population. Trevor continued to search through the Force for a better handle on this person. His lock was strong enough that he did not need to concentrate any more on it. Trevor decided it was time to find this being out. He left his alcove and started walking towards the security office. The plan at this point was to keep his 'eye' on this mysterious person. He thought about hiding himself within the Force, similar to part of his Trials. However, Trevor dismissed this idea as any use of the Force would allow his presence to be felt as well, similar to trying to hide in the dark with a flash light on. So he continued walking down the street.

Trevor continued to walk towards the security station, constantly keeping his lock on this quarry. His senses started to drop away, showing Trevor he was over extending his senses. He retraced his steps back to the spot where his senses had begun to tingle. The feeling became stronger as he neared the original location.

Trevor continued to walk around the city, boarding the warehouse and entertainment district. There were a couple scruffy saloons nearby with placards on the main road displaying their menu of items. Fair numbers of beings were reading signs, stopping at the cantinas, and making small talk around him. No one bothered the young man with the blindfold, but they all gave him extra room when they stopped to notice that he had two holsters on. The smell of roasted bantha floated towards his nostrils as he passed an open air cantina bordering the warehouse district. The smell grabbed his attention and he stopped to look at the menu.

_Walking in a dark cloud was common these days. Life had certainly turned since Tianna passed away. The fact that she was killed so quickly had caused a great deal of pain and loss. That feeling was not to appear ever again. The face scanned the crowd, like it always did. However, emotion boiled over, as a familiar figure could be seen in the street. He looked much different than before; hair a little longer, and he wasn't wearing brown. In fact, he looked much stronger than before. Something else was different about him…. Wait, what is he doing here at all?_

As he half way through reading the second page of the menu, a sudden confused jumble of emotion invaded Trevor's mind, nearly forcing him to sever the link right away. The emotions flowing through the link caused Trevor discomfort. He decided that the connection was not worth it, so he gently released it from his subject. He shifted his vision, trying to find someone who might be watching him. No one seemed to be watching him so Trevor finished his reading. When he was done, he turned on his heel and headed towards the nearest corner. His vision continued to keep a view of the surrounding environment, knowing that someone was on the lookout for him. Not a single person was looking directly at him or even paying him the slightest bit of attention. He continued walking down the street, sweeping his vision around to be better prepared. He turned the next corner and walked out into the middle of the street.

_He turned away, and walked away from the hidden position. Quickly, she slid into the back alleyway, trying to gauge where he would go, what he would do. What was he here for? There had to be an explanation. The figure, if anyone had see it, would have noticed that the manicured fingers reached down onto the belt, and pulled a metallic cylinder off the belt, and held it solidly, ready for any sudden moves by the young padawan in the middle of the street._

As he turned the next corner, Trevor noticed that a black figure had crept up on him. He decided to walk towards the center of the street for a better advantage should there be a fight. He didn't really expect one, but after searching through the crime scenes anything was possible. Searching through not just the crowds but also between the buildings, he noticed that someone exited the far doorway fairly quickly. The figure was also reaching for something at their waist. The area around was certainly wide enough for a battle, but too many people were around and they might get hurt. The figure continued to quickly walk up. Trevor walked towards the middle of the street, giving the mysterious stranger plenty of room. The disturbance that he had felt before was now very close. This figure was certainly giving off the feelings he'd felt before. It quickly turned the corner, stopped and spoke:

"Trevor. What are you doing here?"

Turning towards the voice, Trevor saw a tall female Zabrak with flowing brown hair leaning against the wall. Her facial tattoos, etched into her skin as was most of her race, accentuated rather than detracted from her complexion. The black jacket flowed down her back covering her dark sandy shirt and dark brown pants to just past her knees. She leaned against the wall, hiding a lightsaber against the wall. The face was extremely familiar, one that he should remember, but…

_The sun streamed into the Jedi Temple. The Nexu Clan had been gathered in the younglings training room by Master Yoda. Most of the clan was there, R'We'Nok, Noa, and the others. Trevor kept looking around for Yendis, but sensed that she was not on the floor, nor even in the temple. _

_Master Yoda entered the room, limping along with his gimer stick. _

_"With heavy heart I bring you this news. No longer with you shall Yendis Arctell be. Chosen to leave the Order she has."_

_A conflagration of emotions tumbled through Trevor. 'Leaving? She can't leave. She just CAN'T!'_

_Master Yoda turned and walked directly to Trevor. He reached up, pulled down on Trevor's robes, and pulled the young man's face directly to his own._

_"Sense your feelings I can, youngling. Know this path was hers to choose. Persuade her to stay you would not." In a low whisper, Yoda counseled, "Bury these feelings, concentrate on your studies. Many tests there are ahead of you. This she would want for you." Yoda released his robes, and bowed to the clan. _

_Trevor turned towards Master Yoda, but Master Shudo motioned for Trevor to join him. _

_"Trevor, we have been given an assignment."_

The years had certainly been good to Yendis. Her figure had grown quite respectably in the years between her leaving and this reunion. Her face, however, did not show the joy it once did. Trevor kept his emotions in check due to the fact that she carried with her a lightsaber of her own design. Getting into a fight here would not have been beneficial and he wanted to give her a chance to explain herself.

"Yendis. I didn't expect to see you here."

"Didn't expect to see me?"

"No, I haven't heard from you in a very long time."

"What about me expecting to see you? You here for the murders?"

Trevor decided to play dumb. "What murders?"

"You know what I'm talking about. There's no way you didn't hear about that."

Trevor was sensing quite a bit of anger from her, but he couldn't tell if she was angry at him, or just at the galaxy in general. But he couldn't sense any blatant malice. Trevor closed the distance between the two. As they got closer, Trevor was able to see prongs on the end of her lightsaber. He knew that her lightsaber was taken from her when she left the Jedi Order. However, she was certainly smart enough to make her own. The question of the lightsaber was left alone for now. Trevor walked to within arm reach of her, and leaned against the wall in front of her.

"What if I am?"

A crooked smile appeared on her face. "What have you got?"

"We need to talk someplace other than here."

Yendis' smile disappeared faster than a hyperspace jump. She gave him a good once-over and noticed the two lightsabers in holsters on each leg. Her face showed the question that went through her face. She was certainly different. There was a certain smugness about her that gave her a different personality, which made her all that more interesting, Trevor thought.

She led him down a couple of alleys, and into a loud cantina where the music was blaring loudly enough to cover more

"Don't trust anybody, do you?"

"I don't have a lot of reason to. I've seen enough to know better. So, what have you got? Here on Temple business?

"I am. Quid pro quo, Yendis. You give me info, I give you info."

"Well, if you've got something good, I've got something… that you might find useful."

"There is someone on the black market that is looking for modified battle droids."

"More than one. Hmm."

"More than one buyer?"

"No, more than one droid. What are they trying to do, build an army."

Trevor's mind reeled at this revelation. "Possibly."

"If they are trying to build an army of what I saw, that's not going to be pretty. Some kind of battle droid, but, um, as you must know from the reports, most battle droids don't have lightsabers. This thing is bad news. Well-programmed, well-built, and, though it may not have the Force and it may not be able to do everything we can do, but it can do enough.

"It's definitely a droid? How many?"

"Just one."

"Do you know where is it based?"

"Operating out of a smelting facility at the northern end of town." Trevor nodded, recalling the facility and the designs of it from his reconnoiter. They discussed possible entry points that might be large enough to allow it access into the facility.

"Who's controlling it?"

"That I am not sure."

"Do you have an idea who is behind this?"

"I have an idea." Her voice belied the truth, but Trevor ignored it. He watched her face, and she stared back at him in a defiant way. Trevor then asked a delicate question.

"How balanced are you?"

Yendis huffed. "Enough. I'm willing to help if that's what you are wondering."

"Are you interested in coming back?"

Shaking her head, "It's a little late for that." After a moments pause, she continued. "Look, you don't want this thing running around, I don't want it running around either. Doesn't look good for either of us."

"Would you be willing to report this to the Council with me?"

"I'll supply you with the information to add to the report, but I have nothing more to say to the Council. And I'm not really interested in visiting any security stations around here either. I imagine that's where they sent you." Trevor did not respond to the question. "That's what I thought. Do you have a datapad? One with the crime scenes?"

Trevor handed it over to Yendis. She snatched it out of her hand and immediately began going to work on the plans for the smelting facility. She showed Trevor a few spots that were big enough for the droid that they could possibly check out at the smelting facility.

"By the way," Yendis over up at her former clan mate. "I saw it come and go out of there with no alarms. Nothing."

Trevor watch Yendis give him orders, something she used to do, just to tease him. But it never lasted long.

"Look, Yendis, you've got to give me something on who's behind this. I can sense that you know who it is. C'mon, give."

Yendis smirked, "When I saw it in an alley recently, someone else also saw it, and they were running from it. I was at a higher vantage point and took a couple of shots at it. It's got a double blaster concealed in a compartment on the right arm. It started firing back at me, and gave that person a chance to escape. They took off like a mynock out of a cave. I don't know what they would say to anyone. It had a lightsaber ignited, ready to strike, and it was red. Now I have been hearing some interesting things from friends of yours with regards to the Sith returning?"

Trevor leaned his head forward. "There have been some rumors of it."

"I've heard some pretty unpleasant stuff going down on Naboo about a year ago. If there is a destroyer droid running around with a red bladed lightsaber, I just don't like the way that sounds."

He leaned back in his seat, watching the Zabrak across the table. Her brown eyes teemed with excitement and shown like a binary star. The intensity flowing from her body washed over him like a giant tidal wave. _It seemed that she wants to go after this thing. I can't blame her. I do too_, Trevor thought _However, I need to report what I have found to the Council. Maybe they can shed some light on this._

Trevor sighed and turned his face towards Yendis. "I need a couple of hours. You know what I need to do. Can we meet somewhere later?"

The satisfaction on her face gave Trevor the indication that his hunches were right. "I'd ask you not to mention me, but if you do, you do."

"I will do my best to leave you out of it, I promise." Trevor's lips sealed tight as he gave his bond. Yendis nodded, knowing that Trevor would work very hard at keeping his word. She probed Trevor's intent.

"What ere you going to do about this thing?"

"I honestly have no clue", shrugging his shoulders.

"Well, I'm thinking we should check out the smelting facility. If it has moved out of there, this will be the best opportunity we will have to investigate where it lives. See what we can find out."

Trevor nodded, feeling a bit like a youngling next to her. She had the good sense not to make too much out of his unease. "Meet at the Gal-tox Casino, 9:00 tonight. Bring a gas mask, if you've got one. We might need it. Don't waste any time. I've got to get a few things together before we get going." She stood up to leave the table. As she reached under her jacket, Trevor flashed a few credits onto the table, enough to cover the bill and a little more for the wait staff.

Yendis had barely gotten over the surprise of having her meal paid for, when she finally noticed something different about Trevor. There seemed to be some hair missing on the side of his head, and then there was the fact that his head, normally covered by an entire skull cap was now only covered by a thin stubble of hair. The question bypassed her lips before she could stop them.

"Letting your hair grow, huh?"

The lack of response from Trevor gave Yendis the uneasy feeling that Trevor had finally made it to the rank of Knight. His Master didn't seem to be nearby and the fact that the padawan braid was no longer so prominent on his head connected very easily with this path of logic. He rose smoothly from the table, and she noticed for the first time that both of his legs had quickdraw holsters strapped to them. The holsters contained two different ends of what could only be classified as lightsabers. Yendis stored this information away as she turned towards the door. No one in the bar seemed to be interested in the pair, so she turned inward, making her list of supplies that she would need. Trevor could handle himself, but she wasn't so sure that some of her new skills would be appreciated by the Jedi.

Trevor's mind worked out the details that he needed to divulge to the council, so he followed Yendis outside and before turning towards the security station, gently grasped her shoulder. "Yendis, it was good seeing you again."

She nodded twice, and turned away, her feelings not getting the best of her. Trevor also turned away, but he was thinking about some of their merry adventures and escapades when they were younger. These thoughts did not distract him from his task, rather they gave him something else to think about. _Too bad she left the Order. She would have been a great Knight._

The security station lights were ablaze when Trevor arrived nearly thirty minutes later. He'd been wandering around, going over the plans, and also getting a bit lost on the way. When he arrived, a corporal led him into the analysis room where E5 had been working all day. Trevor queried the droid about what the data gave him, and E5's description of the perpetrator was nearly a mirror image of what Yendis described. It was definitely bipedal, wielded the lightsaber in the left hand, and it contained a double barreled blaster on the right side. All things Trevor knew, but having confirmation from a different source only tightened the noose around the perpetrator. Trevor attempted to contact Chief Boca, who happened to be resting in his office.

"Sorry to bother you, Chief."

"Not at all, Master Jedi. What can I do for you?"

"I want to give you all the information that I found out today, but I also don't want to repeat myself when I report to the council. Do you have a holonet room where we can talk to the Jedi Council together?"

"Yes, I do. C'mon, let me show you where it is."

They walked out from Boca's office, turned towards the back of the building and proceeded to enter a small square room, with a holopad located in the middle of the floor. Chief Boca set up the connection to the Jedi Temple, and Trevor gave the codes necessary to contact the Council. Mace Windu was in the Chambers and took the communications directly.

"Trevor, what have you to report?"

"Master Windu, I have discovered that the perpetrator that we are looking for is not humanoid. It is a droid, similar in make to the ones that Master Shudo and I stopped on Metallos. I have found an eyewitness who has requested to remain nameless. This droid was equipped with a red lightsaber." At the mention of Yendis, Chief Boca whipped his head around and stared at Trevor. As he continued, Trevor could see that Chief Boca was storing that little piece of information away for after the conversation. Master Windu also did not miss the piece of information. His face gave off a questioning look to it, but did not push Trevor any further than he needed. Windu continued with the interview.

"Do you have any other data corroborating this theory of yours?"

"Yes, Master. I have the data here and E5 is transmitting it now. You should have it momentarily."

"Yes, I see the data being downloaded now. Of this informant," at this, Trevor tensed slightly, "how certain are you of the quality of the information given to you?"

"I am confident that this eyewitness is reliable and would be willing to help us, if asked."

"Does this, eyewitness, know who is controlling this droid?"

"No, Master. The eyewitness is unable to figure out who is controlling it."

Windu pondered this for a moment. He quickly scanned the completed download, and turned back to Trevor. "There is no telling how close the owner might be. Proceed with your investigation, but be cautious. If this droid is nearby, it may feel threatened. Do not put any more innocents at risk. Continue with the investigation, but continue with caution."

Trevor bowed to the Jedi Weapon Master, and the communication was severed. Chief Boca nearly jumped out of his seat and accosted Trevor. Trevor, however, held up his hand.

"Chief, this eyewitness has requested anonymity, and I granted it to them. I will not go back on my word, so I ask that you not push me."

Boca's face nearly fell to the floor in disappointment, but quickly composed it. The information might have been beneficial, however, it was probably best not to go against this Jedi on this matter. Something told Boca he would be treading on thin ice. Trevor looked at his chronometer and realized that he had nearly an hour left before he was scheduled to meet with Yendis again. Trevor asked Chief Boca if there was a place where he could rest for a short while, to prepare for the evening activities. Boca showed him a neat room with a few cots in it. Trevor lay down, turned his vision inwards, and slept soundly for nearly a full hour.

The soft whirling of E5's motorized movement tracks woke Trevor from his quick nap. He quickly grabbed his cloak, hydrated himself with some water from the nearby sink, and strode quickly from the room. He searched out Chief Boca and asked for and received a breath mask and goggles. Trevor promised to return them to him shortly. Chief Boca barked quickly.

"Master Gul'dan. I have no doubt in your sincerity. Consider them part of your belongings."

"Thank you, Chief. I appreciated the thought. But I sense that there is more to this 'gift' than meets the eye."

Trevor's vision was trained on Boca and noticed that a small twitch on his lips confirmed his suspicions.

"Spill it," Trevor commanded, turning abruptly to Boca.

"Can I convince you to take along someone with you? You can't just think of going after this thing with someone informant you hardly know. I'd be happy to volunteer-"

Trevor shook his head. "Chief, I have known my contact for many years. It has been quite some time since I have seen them. They are trusting of anyone, even me. Right now, the best thing for you and your men to do is to continue with your normal activities. This is why you requested help from the Council. I can understand your wish to interview them for your investigations. At this time, I would rather have them working with me outside of this office." Trevor felt that if Boca knew it was a former Jedi on Ord Mantell he might arrest her just for her 'non-conformity' of the Jedi Order. Trevor nearly smiled at that thought, but quickly squashed it. This was no time for sentimentality.

"Chief, you have heard my report to the Council. This thing that I seek is a dangerous droid. Have you ever had the opportunity to go against a lightsaber-wielding ruffian?" The brownish-grey mane shook negatively. "Then I can tell you that, even though you maintain order here on Ord Mantell, this would be too much for you." _It might even be too much for me and Yendis,_ Trevor thought to himself. _Shake it off, Jedi. Those thoughts lead to the dark side. And she hasn't gone down that road completely yet."_

Boca turned his face away from the tall Jedi. The young face with the blindfold was a bit disturbing to the experienced enforcement officer, but if someone is killing with a lightsaber, why not let him go on his own? He turned back towards the Jedi and nodded. "I have not gone against anyone with a lightsaber before, and if you are confident in your abilities, I shall bend to your wishes. However, when you find out what is going on, please let me know and I will keep my deputies aware that you may require assistance." Trevor nodded to this request and excused himself. He gathered up the remainder of his data pads and motioned for E5 to follow him out.

"E5, head back to the ship. Get it prepped for immediately launch. If I need you, I'll contact you."

E5's dome turned towards the Miraluka's head, and twittered what seemed like a question. Trevor turned his head down, and smiled at the droid.

"I don't know what it is about you, E5, but I can almost hear you wish me good luck"

E5 whistled affirmatively. Trevor shook his head, "Thanks, E5. I'll see you soon."

The small astromech turned on its axis and headed back towards the hanger bay. Trevor turned to the main avenue towards the entertainment district.

"I have a bad feeling about this."

The evening air hardly moved at all. The daytime heat seemed to flow out of the buildings, filling the night air with smells of daytime. Trevor moved through the crowd, not wanted to disturb the revealers from their happiness. His job was to protect these people and others who might not have liked to have those with an affinity to the Force to take their lives so needlessly. Trevor's thoughts drifted in and out of certain philosophy lessons when he came upon the proper street. Trevor reached out slightly with his feelings to see if he could get a glimpse of Yendis ahead. No soon that had Trevor tried to reach out, Yendis' Force-signature appeared directly ahead of him. He continued on down the street, avoiding peddlers and others who might want to separate him from his credits. He knew they were only doing their job to raise money for their family, or their owner as the case may be. He continued on, as did most of the patrons on the street. As he reached the entrance to the casino, Yendis separated herself from the shadows between the casino and the next building over. She motioned her head onward down the street, and Trevor adjusted his walk, as if to avoid something in the road. The pair met up after the casino's entrance and did not greet one another, portraying two strangers who walk in a crowd. The trip to the smelting facility went faster once they exited the entertainment district. The beacons of joy and frivolity gave way to static street lamps and industrial signage. The neon lights gave an eerie glow to the scene, giving Yendis some concern. Trevor's vision adjusted quickly to the changing environment and was able to navigate the roads easily. They arrived at the facility soon after.

The smelting process could not only be detected by smell, but also by sound. The echoes of screaming metal could be heard at most half a kilometer away. The pair traversed the plant to begin their ascent into the unknown plant. Trevor's datapad showed two back entrances, and Yendis pointed to the largest one in particular. Trevor zoomed in the view of the back entrance and agreed that any large droid would have a very easy time getting in and out of that kind of exit very easily.

The perimeter fence was electro-locked shut, but Yendis reached inside her jacket for a small slicer. Trevor's eyebrows shot up, now realizing that Yendis had a few new tricks up her sleeve. Yendis turned her head, seeing Trevor staring down at the lock, and turned her body so that she had effectively covered her work from his prying sight. Trevor respected Yendis' privacy, turning his face and vision to the inner courtyard. The back entrance bays were closed and locked, and a myriad of containers, pallets, and barrels stacked neatly around the perimeter. One might be able to get in, but the middle of the facility could be used a good ambush ground, if there were any guards around. However, the only guard Trevor knew of was at the front gate, more likely put there to keep the media at bay than anything else. A metallic _snap_ notified Trevor that Yendis' work was done. The gate slowly opened allowing the pair to slip into the back entrance without any additional issues. Trevor searched high and low for any security cams around but was not able to find any. Skulking across the courtyard toward the facility, the pair moved stealthily among the barrel piles. They reached an access ladder that seemed to lead to the middle of the facility's main building. Yendis motioned to Trevor to place his mask on. She covered her entire face with her breathing apparatus while Trevor only placed the mouthpiece on. Yendis started to point, but realizing that Trevor would not be affected by the air within the facility. Trevor's eye sockets did not exist in his race. His face was covered only to blend in with human populations.

They reached another door and entered the facility in nearly the same manner as the technicians had done nearly three weeks ago. They were able to stand up fully in the access shaft. It nearly turned straight down on their left side, but it was a more gentle descent on the right. Trevor pointed right and Yendis nodded in agreement. The pair worked their way down to a solid floor for nearly fifteen minutes. The floor led to a catwalk extending into the middle of the facility. A set of intersecting conveyor belts were what took up the most room. The whole smelting process could be seen from this vantage point, and Trevor thought, _What a great place to hide a droid!_ Yendis and Trevor both walked onto the catwalk searching high and low for any sign of the droid or the owner.

Five minutes later, Trevor was searching for just about anything that might have been out of place when he spotted an open access panel near a conveyor control board. He motioned to Yendis, and pointed it out to her. She nodded and the pair cautiously approached the panel. As they got closer, Trevor noticed that most of the interior parts were missing. In their place was some sort of communication device. Yendis turned for the first time and spoke to Trevor.

"I might be able to get this working. But I'll need a few minutes."

"Take your time. I am not sure why, but this seems very important. Do what you need to get this done."

"Got it."

Trevor turned away from Yendis while she worked on the device. Nearly ten minutes went by before she finally cried. Trevor whipped around, lightsaber in his hand ready for anything when he realized that she was shouting happily. She reached down for the control knob, adjusting the screen for better clarity. Trevor placed his hand on her shoulder. He squeezed gently and could not stop staring at the screen. Yendis nearly turned away when she stopped and stared as well. On the small display, a woman wearing all black clothing could be seen staring out from the inside of the monitor. The most striking feature about her was the black eyes and the scars across her face. It seemed as if her skin were cracking clay in the desert of Tatooine during the dry season. Her voice seemed angry at the world, as if everyone were below her. The instructions she were speaking was not in any language he knew, but Yendis placed a translater droid near the device, asking it to speak in rough Basic. The answer she got was most disturbing.

"It is time for you to move yourself. Keep your home base protected. Do not let anyone who enters your location live to tell the tale."

Yendis looked up at him and said, "Do you know what this means?"

Trevor turned his vision around, lightsaber at the ready. "I really don't know, but you might want to get that thing out of there. We're going to need that for evidentiary purposes."

Sounds seemed to reach their ears again. The noise was deafening and certainly was causing Trevor's head to start to hurt. With all this noise, it was a wonder that she could continue to work. Trevor continued to scout around with his vision. He moved it towards the end of the catwalk, where a set of conveyor belts delivered scrap metal to the smelters. Trevor moved his vision down to the end of the catwalk and watched the metal being brought higher than the catwalk to a fiery furnace which melted the metal to liquid ore. The ore was then used later to make different materials. Trevor watched the broken pieces of machinery being lifted past when a set of red eyes caught his attention. The coverings on a particular interesting scrap seemed to still be intact on one piece. Trevor watched it interestedly, wondering why it still had its eye pieces. The conveyor moved the scraps nearer to the catwalk as the two offset eyes grew bright and multiple appendages could be seen extended out, causing Trevor to shiver. _That's the droid. Have I seen anything like this before? This is much bigger than the others._ Just as Trevor finished that though, the droid reached up, swung itself onto the catwalk, and landed gracefully and quietly on the catwalk. _But they never did THAT before!_ He reached down, patted Yendis on the shoulders, and had to shout to be heard over the noise.

"We've got company!"

Yendis turned around and could barely see down the corridor.

"What are you talking about?"

Trevor kept his vision on the droid, and could now make out the slot where the lightsaber was stored.

"That lightsaber work?", Trevor asked.

"What do you think? Of course it does."

"Good, you're going to need it."

The droid continued to walk towards the pair. All three of the combatants ignited their sabers at the same time. The red blade of the droid cut through the haze of the facility, adding to the red glare of the firepits below. Yendis' purple blade added to the surreal battle as well. Trevor's white blade broke over the red area, giving almost a sunlit glow to his spot on the catwalk. Yendis watched the blade in amazement for only a short time, then shook it off to concentrate on the confrontation.

Trevor watched the droid, and was again amazed at how mobile and smooth this droid was. Its torso was much more compact than any other droid he'd seen in the past. The arms containing the weaponry was fairly standard, but the middle clearly defined that this was no ordinary droid. A middle support strut and two outer struts gave the droid a powerful profile. Trevor now saw that between the center struts of the droid were devoid of machinery, which answered one question of how one could miss with a blaster at short range.

The droid seemed to be walking as stealthily as anything Trevor had heard before. _This killing machine is now coming for me and Yendis. May the Force be with us._ The pair walked down the hall, giving each other the necessary room to maneuver their blades. The droid, unsure of which one was the more dangerous, raised its blaster and fired directly at Yendis. She moved gracefully out of the way, and even deflected a round or two back. Trevor did not leave her side, though he wanted to rush the droid. Trevor opted for the ligthsaber side, knowing that he'd have better luck against it than Yendis. Trevor swung for the droid, but it adroitly blocked his lunge and parry. Yendis moved in quickly to try and distract it, but it also blocked her swing. Trevor performed a quick wrist snap, connecting with its legs. The red saber lunged downward, but Trevor had already moved for another blow but missing wildly.

The droid raised its right arm, and fired point blank at Yendis. She dove out of the way, getting the lower half of her coat singed by the laser bolt. She flipped herself back onto her feet, blocking two more shots that the droid fired at her. Trevor, sensing that Yendis was starting to get a bit winded, redoubled his attack on the droid. The machine blocked all of Trevor's blows, and nearly got one inside of Trevor's defenses. Pulling out all the stops, Trevor continued to battle back and forth with the droid for several seconds. Yendis returned to close combat and the droid stepped away from the pair. They continued their advantage, pushing the droid back to the end of the catwalk. The droid, being harassed by its two adversaries, nearly fell over the end of the catwalk. Trevor caught sight of a molten metal container being lifted up towards a molding station. The large barrel was going to be close enough in just a few seconds. The droid redoubled its efforts at Yendis, seeming to know that she was the weak link. Yendis stumbled, falling to the ground. The droid seeing it had the advantage raised its saber up for the final blow.

In a desperate effort, Trevor reached out with the Force, and pushed the droid backward over the edge of the platform. The barrel of molten metal caught the falling droid as it passed the catwalk. The lightsaber handle exploded, causing a crack in the container's brace. The left support cracked and broke off, causing the right side to bend and strain. Metal screeched in protest, and broke off, causing the container to continue the fall the droid started. Trevor watched this in horror, knowing that the only way to catch whoever was behind this was to research how this thing was put together.

Trevor gathered the Force around him and concentrated on the falling container. The whole container was certainly heavy and by the way it was pulling on Trevor's efforts, it was continuing its fall. Trevor pulled back, trying to stop gravity itself. His efforts were not unrewarded. The container slammed into the ground, embedding itself nearly five centimeters into the steel flooring. It tipped one way, and then nearly overbalanced going to the other way. Trevor maintained the balance to allow the container to remain standing. Once the container had no chance of falling over, Trevor released the pent up Force energy, allowing the essence to flow out of him like salt from a shaker. Yendis was slow in getting up so Trevor went over to lend a hand. She shrugged him off at first, but after seeing that he was just trying to help, allowed him to pull her to her feet.

"You've grown up quite a bit, haven't you?" Yendis tested.

"A little. It is amazing what one can learn in such a short period of time," he replied cryptically. "I think that we need to gather up whatever we've found here and get it back to the security station. I'm sure that they will be looking for us soon. Even though I told them to not follow me, I'm sure he continued to do what he wanted."

"I agree. I'd like to make sure that I am scarce when they arrive."

"Well, let us make sure that we meet them on their own terms, shall we?"

Yendis smirked slightly, and retrieved the communications gear. Trevor had to wait a while longer to gather what he could of the droid. Dropping it into the molten metal seemed like a good idea at the time, but now it was only a slab of metal and wire, merged together by the intense heat of the molten metal. Trevor spent nearly fifteen minutes trying to cut out what pieces he could from the solid metal drum that was left. He spied a repulsorsled nearby that looked to have been used for lifting heavy metal objects such as this. Trevor lifted the slab of metal onto the repulsorsled, and took a moment to learn the controls. Once he figured all that out, he maneuvered the sled out of the facility. Yendis placed the communication device on the sled next to the droid remains. The two did not speak for most of the trip back.

The hour was nearing midnight, but the streets continued to hold merrymakers of all types. It would seem that seeing a repulsorsled did not bother these people, especially with someone carrying two lightsabers on his legs. As they neared the street for the entertainment district, Yendis made her good-byes quick and concise.

"Trevor. This is where we part. Good luck."

He was a bit baffled by the short response, until he realized that she had not said word one about why she left the Order. He had never researched why she had left and he felt that asking would have been rude. He acknowledged her salutation with one of his own.

"Yendis, it's good to see you again. Next time, let's not wait nearly fourteen years before we see one another again." With a premonition that he would not ever see her again, he walked up to her, reached around and gave her the hug that he wanted to give her all those years ago. He could feel her stiffen up slightly at the emotional approach, but returned the embrace nonetheless. They released each other and stared at each other for what, Trevor felt, was the last time. She turned around and walked away. She turned back after just a few steps.

"Keep your guard up. Your left side is still a little weak."

Trevor's lopsided smile creased his lips. He nodded his head towards her in a subtle bow, turned and navigated the repulsorsled back towards the security office, knowing he had a lot of work to do.

_The communicator on the desk twitched and the display changed color. She reached out with the Force, pulled it toward her and scowled. The cracked face that shown from under the hood wore a scowl and the cowl turned left and right, as if in slow motion._

_"It would seem that it is time for me to move up my plans a little. We shall see if you can handle me, Jedi." The picture of a silver lightsaber could be seen on holopad receiver that showed the entire battle over and over again. "He said that losing this droid would be helpful. Now I have a name to go with the blade. Trevor Gul'dan, you are mine!" The evil voice bounced off of the cave walls, growing more eerie with each diminishing echo. She grabbed for her lightsaber and initiated a communications call to one of her associates. "The time is now," she said. And with that, she turned off the communicator and headed towards the hanger where she knew her Master kept a spare ship. There were enough for her to commandeer one and meet her associate. 'He was lucky to stop the first set of droids, but he won't stop this group', she thought. _


	9. Chapter 9

SHROUD OF THE DARK SIDE

The Gal-Tox casino was in full party mode tonight and the pickpockets that night were having a very successful evening. The Thieves Guild had asked that these two work the casino crowd to test their nerve and their skills for entry. The pair had worked together long enough that they instinctively knew where the other would be for a particular mark. The evening was coming to a close for them. They were about to leave the area when a movement off to the north of the casino attracted their attention. A smaller figure moved away from a larger one, and there was a repulsorsled in front of them. They split apart, and were ready to take the unsuspecting target by surprise. The larger figure seemed to be standing still, staring at the figure moving away. The taller pickpocket stood next to a lamppost to give the figure a distraction. That figure moved behind the repulsorsled and pushed it forward rather easily. _Must be strong, those repulsorsleds don't usually move that easily,_ the young thief thought. He gave a hold sign to his partner, who stood up a little straighter, as if asking for clarification. The first thief was unsure of the mark now, and wanted a better look.

The sled moved into the lighted circle of the lamppost. The figure's legs walked briskly, denoting confidence and an air of competence. The thief started to pick himself up from the post he was leaning on when he spied not one, but two quickdraw holsters containing not blasters, but lightsabers. With the amount of ligthsaber deaths in the spaceport area, it was going to be best to leave this one alone.

Trevor noticed that the pair moved off, leaving him alone with the remains of the droid he had just defeated. Having the two lightsabers strapped to his leg might have been a bad idea in Shudo's mind, but avoiding conflict certainly was better than more deaths. The trip back to the security office, other than the wide eyes of the shadier denizens of Ord Mantell, was uneventful. After seeing the two lightsabers, people tended to keep out of his way.

Once back at the security station, the deputy on duty whisked Trevor into the analysis room and assisted in the removal of the metallic slab of 'droid' onto the analysis table. Two droids rolled over, and one started to scan the entire remains. E5 rolled up to Trevor and sat still.

"E5, I need you to monitor the scanning of this," Trevor asked wearily. "I have to report to the Council." If he were pressed, he would tell those he could trust that he was not looking forward to this report. He had omitted Yendys' involvement in the investigations, and that might be allowed to be removed. The Order had given him instructions early on in his training that any encounter with a Rogue Jedi must be reported on immediately. He was hoping that he could convince the Council, or at least some of the lower ranked members of the Council that she had been helpful. He hoped against hope, but something in the back of his mind said that no matter who it was who answered this call would have to hear about his omission.

The walk to the holonet room was a quick one. Trevor punched in the codes for the Jedi Temple on Coruscant and waiting patiently. After a few moments, Mace Windu appeared in front of him.

"Trevor Gul'dan, you have more news on the investigation."

He took a deep breath and began.

"Master Windu, I believe that the investigation here is nearing a close. I have met up with Yendys Arctell, who had also been investigating these murders on her own and was instrumental in protecting an innocent." Mace's right eyebrow raised nearly a half a centimeter. "She protected someone from a super battle droid armed with a lightsaber. That is what I believe was killing people here on Ord Mantell."

"A droid?"

"Yes. Based on the information that we confiscated on Metallos, there was a schematic for an addition to a battle droid similar to those there that would allow it to use a lightsaber. This droid did have that attachment and it was a red bladed saber. I was able to defeat the droid,…"

"You engaged it." Windu's statement nearly flustered Trevor. He pressed on with his dissertation.

"Upon our reconnaissance, the last orders were to protect it's home base of operations. It tried to use stealth and guile extremely well. It diverted our attention away from where it was coming from. It did not gain the advantage, but it was very smart.

"Well built and well programmed."

"It also had a double blaster on the opposite arm. In my opinion, if it were outfitted with a second lightsaber attachment, it would be rather dangerous indeed. Currently, remnants of the droid are being analyzed for the codes for the transceiver to be able to triangulate where the signals are coming from."

"Very good. Do you have any reason to suspect that there is any continued danger on Ord Mantell?"

Trevor was unsure of the reason behind the question, and he voice cracked enough to let it be known that he was nervous. "Until I know where the transmission are coming from, Master, I don't know if she has another droid available. There was a death out in the badlands that I have not investigated yet. It may be possible that they have another base out there, but until I know where they are coming from, - so where the transmissions are coming from." Trevor's mind was reeling and he could not seem to get the words out. "If the transmissions are coming from off planet, then I would say that the danger may be over. I probably would not know for another three to four days."

Windu's image nodded. His face was a mask of concentration, as if he was listening to something, or someone. He nodded and stared back at the Miraluka. "Your priority now is to determine the source of the transmission, of course." A slight pause. "Work with the authorities there to accomplish that task as quickly as possible. Contact me as soon as there are any developments."

"Yes, Master. Was there anything else?" Trevor's curiosity tugged at the sides of his consciousness.

"That will be all. Well done." The image of Mace Windu faded out. Trevor turned on his heel and walked back towards the analysis room. He didn't feel tired, but knew that he would need to have some sleep at some point. He walked up to E5, who was continuing to watch the forensics droids scanning the slab.

"E5," the droid whistled an affirmative response. "Wake me in the morning, or if something important comes up." E5 agreed, and he walked out of the room, heading towards the resting chamber he used early. _What was it, three, four hours ago?_ Trevor thought to himself. As he laid back, the image of the white-haired, dry-skinned female from the communications terminal haunted him. What was the most striking in Trevor's mind was that even though the image was black and white, he was fairly certain that in living color, she would have remained the same. There was something odd about her accoutrements, but he could not put his mind on it. It kept moving around, continuing to evade capture until sleep surprised Trevor.

The comlink beeped loudly, too loudly for such a quick wakeup. He reached over and turned it off. Sleepily, he responded, "Yes?"

A droid's twittering could be heard, and Trevor figured that it had to have been E5. _What time was it?_ He looked at his chronometer and noticed that it had only been about four hours since he'd fallen asleep. He reached over for the datapad, plugged it in, and responded, "Go ahead, E5. What is it?"

"Complete analysis is continuing on the droid remains and the communication device. Signal analysis points to a source somewhere offplanet."

Trevor's head seemed filled with cotton, so he had a hard time reading most of E5's report. However, when the words 'off planet' appeared, he realized that the danger was most likely over. However, he needed to be sure.

"E5, statistical probability that this signal could have been bounced off a relay station outside the system and have it originate from someone on the planet?"

The droid heard those words, and began some quick computations. The dome swivled back and forth as it replied back. From the resting quarters, Trevor read, "Probability for such an exact scenario, less that one in fifty." He winced at this thought. _So, we still don't know who is behind this, but would they have any more._ He sat with his back to the wall, thinking about the possibilities of who might be behind this kind of serious droid construction. He sat for a few minutes, thinking about where this signal would originate. He started to get himself back to sleep when an idea popped into his head. The Jedi Temple would certainly have more sophisticated equipment. He grabbed the comlink, and contacted the astromech again. "E5, see if we can put a relay device on there to send all the transmission data back to Coruscant."

"It should be doable."

"Do it."

"Affirmative."

Trevor signed off, and drifted back to sleep for another few hours.

The analysis room was starting to fill up with droids and organic lifeforms more since the break of day. Trevor entered the room to find six forensic droids working different evidence tables. No one had changed anything with the slab that he returned with from earlier that day. The morning light shone into the one small window of the forensic room causing a reddish haze to the room. He walked over to E5, who was the closest droid to his equipment.

"What have we found?"

"The information was sent to Coruscant and compared their initial analysis with our continued analysis. Probability of signal origination from Ord Mantell dropping exponentially, based on transmission facilities on planet. Still unable to triangulate signal source."

"Did you get the transmission relay device on it?"

"It was used to transmit current data to Coruscant. It will relay additional communications, should we so desire."

Trevor nodded his head. He was hoping that whoever was on the other end of the communication chain would try and contact the droid one more time soon. It made sense that they would want to do that. He patted E5 on the dome and walked out of the room. He turned towards the main lobby of the security station. He stopped the first person he could, which happened to be the same deputy whom he had met earlier that day.

"Excuse me, Deputy. Where can I find Chief Boca?"

"I'm not sure, Master Jedi, but I will find him for you. Shall I have him meet you in the conference room?"

"Yes, please. Thank you."

The deputy turned over his datapad to a lieutenant, and walked out of the room. Trevor turned on his heel, heading back towards the main conference room. Chief Boca entered the room nearly five minutes later.

"Chief. We have started the analysis of the communications device we found in the smelting facility. It would seem that this is the receiver for an off-planet communication link. Please keep it locked away so that no one gets a hold of it. We have it prepped to relay signals back to Coruscant if anything comes in."

"Excellent. If you like, we can arrange for secure transport back to Coruscant if you prefer. You can hand the hardware over to the analysis team at the Jedi Temple."

"Keep the transmitter here, but send the droid back. I don't want to tip my hand too much."

"The communication device hasn't been customized too much, so I am sure that your analysis team won't be missing the transmitter too much. We will arrange transport. It will probably take a few days but it will be safe." Boca seemed to be less tense this morning, knowing that no more lightsaber deaths were possible now. "Is there anything else we can do?"

"Yes, I need to use the Holonet room once more."

"Absolutely."

Trevor walked back to the communication room, and had to wait for nearly fifteen for communications to be made to the Temple. When he was finally connected, Mace Windu's image appeared once again. They greeted each other, and Trevor made his report.

"The analysis that has been done here that E5 has double checked with the Coruscant analysis droids came from off world."

"We have been informed of that discovery by the analysis room just recently."

Trevor nodded, "I plan on leaving the communicator here on Ord Mantell, with a relay transmitter back to the analysis room. Should any more instructions come back, the analysis room might be able to have more updated data to deal with."

Windu's eyebrows shot up. "Excellent idea. Is there any more business you haven't finished on Ord Mantell?"

Trevor's head cocked to one side, "Not that I am aware of."

Windu's face seemed to change gears nearly instantly, which made the hair on Trevor's neck stand straight out.

"We have received a transmission a few hours ago. I am going to retransmit it to your location."

Windu's figure shimmered out of focus, and was replaced with Oron Essada. Trevor's eyecoverings raised up a couple of centimeters. This was unexpected. He was standing there in his senatorial robes, elegant and regal. The picture showed a calm Senator, hands on the lapels of his robes, but the voice betrayed concern.

"Greetings, my friends. I am sending this message to you from Umgul. I have returned for a brief stay, various matters of state to attend to and I am seeking your help. I'm… having some… difficulties arise with various dignitaries and business representative visiting here during my return and I wondered if it might be possible to enlist the aid of, uh, someone who had proved useful in the past. I heard that the Jedi-in-training, Trevor Gul'dan, had been promoted to the rank of Jedi Knight. Was interested in enlisting his services again, if possible. There has been a series of attempted attacks on at least one member of the visiting dignitaries on Umgul and I am hoping that with his help, or with any Jedi who might be available should he prove to be otherwise occupied, that we might be able to uncover these attackers and put an end to this threat. If you can help me in any way, I would appreciate it very much. Thank you." And with that the image of Essada faded. Mace Windu's image reappeared.

"After conferring with the Supreme Chancellor, he recommended that we grant the Senator the assistance he has requested. And if your business on Ord Mantell is complete, Umgul is a bit out of your way, but we would to like to honor his request, if possible."

Trevor attempted to keep his face still. He thought about the trip, wondering if his Whitecloak would make it. After doing some quick calculations and with having E5 navigate, he thought that it would take him about two days to complete the trip, should he leave immediately. There really wasn't anything left for him to do at this point, except wait around. Waiting was not Trevor's strong suit. He lifted his head up and spoke decisively.

"Tell Senator Essada that I will arrive on Umgul in approximately fifty-two hours."

"We will relay your response. Use your best judgment on this mission. Report back to us if you feel that anything of significance warrants our attention."

"Very well. I will ask that Chief Boca to continue watching out for any additional droid activity. I am not sure we got them all."

"We will continue to monitor the activities on Ord Mantell and report back to you should something of significance arises. Any communications will be sent directly to your Whitecloak. May the Force be with you." And with that, Windu's image faded from the communication room.

Trevor stood still in the room for a few moments. He felt the need to reach out to see if Yendys was around, so he reached out with the Force. His emotions were clouding his mind, so he was not able to sense anything. Trevor turned from the pad he was on, and muttered to himself. The door opened, and Trevor went to give instructions to Chief Boca and to gather E5. Chief Boca was still in the conference room, awaiting to hear the results of Trevor's conversation with the Council. Trevor passed along the information to Chief Boca, who agreed to the tasks the Council set for him.

Boca reached out his hand, "Can't thank you enough for your help. I don't think that we could have successfully neutralized this threat without any more loss of life."

The grip Boca gave nearly crushed Trevor's hand, but he did not let it show. Boca was not one to be overly emotional, but Trevor figured that if he were married or had kids, he probably was just a big teddy bear. "Glad I could help," he replied modestly.

"Good luck on whatever your next mission brings you."

Trevor thanked Chief Boca, and left the room. E5 trailed along, heading to the ship and getting it prepped.

The whine of the engines could barely be heard through the canopy of the fighter. Trevor reached across, punched in the codes to allow him to fly directly to the atmosphere into space, where he could get moving towards Umgul. His mind kept thinking back to the message. Why did Essada want him in particular? He could have asked for anyone, but why him? Shudo probably would have been best to handle the diplomatic side, or some other possibility. Trevor didn't realize how quickly his name was being use around the Temple by other padawans as the next Jedi Master amongst them.

The Whitecloak slowly flew out of the atmosphere, more slowly as it normally would. Trevor decided to work on his astrogation skills this time. Knowing how badly he's piloted in the past, he figured he'd practice his astrogation skills. He confirmed with E5 some of his calculations, but E5 corrected a couple of minor mistakes, Trevor realized that he had plenty of work still to do with his piloting skills. He looked around at the sensors, punching in the coordinates for Umgul. The various displays on the Whitecloak showed all was well with the operation of the ship. One display showed the types of sensors that were around him. As the atmosphere cleared and space stretched out in front, Trevor noticed a quick blip of a search sensor following him. Trevor watched the display closer, wondering if there was something there or just a figment of his imagination. The signal repeated itself then immediately disappeared. The small dot on the screen faded, leaving a ghost image on the display.

"E5, are we being tracked?" An affirmative response showed up on the translation display. Trevor's face twisted in concern. _Why would someone be following me_, he thought. They were either searching or trying to stealthily follow someone. He did not recall seeing as he was leaving the spaceport, but with all the ground clutter, it was possible that it was hiding there, biding its time. Trevor commanded E5 to stop the hyperspace countdown, and turned the Whitecloak gently to port. The following ship turned slightly into an intercept course as opposed to a parallel course. His hunch of being following now caused all the hairs to be raised on his body. He was not the Order's best pilot, but E5 might be able to help with control, if necessary.

"E5, I need an analysis of that ship. Now."

The astromech worked efficiently. "Unable to identify make at this range. Length 21.5 meters. Slightly faster than the Whitecloak. Heavier shielding and better weaponry. Nearly three times the shield power."

"Time to intercept."

"Ten minutes."

Trevor realized that if the pursuer knew what direction he was headed, they would be able to triangulate his location. Trevor decided to throw a wrench into the works.

"E5, when they are half the current distance to us, recompute hyperspace jump to a different direction, randomize distance for the jump."

"Short range?"

"Yes. No more than five lightyears."

Trevor waited for the droid to finish the computations. The ship, realizing that it was gaining on the target, slowed down and matched speed. Knowing that he was out-gunned and out-shielded figured that he'd need to change tactics. Flipping the ship over on its back, Trevor turned the ship back to face its follower and cut his speed down to barely maneuvering speed. The other vessel looked as if it were veering away, but a quick communication from E5 gave different news.

"Powering up weapons."

Trevor realized that he might not get out of it alive.

"Recompute hyperspace jump again. Be prepared for hyperspace jump on my mark."

E5 started to whistle an indigent response, but chose instead to follow the command. Trevor pushed the ship toward his opponent. The moving speck showing with the background of stars seemed to get larger and larger. As it got within range, the ship fired a barrage of laserfire that would have ripped apart the entire ship and everything in it's path. However, Trevor was surprised by the firing pattern, as it was not hitting his ship at all. It was almost as if it were just a distraction. The two antagonists continued to head straight for one another. Trevor's fingers never depressed the switch linked to the laser cannons on the Whitecloak. Instead, he continued to advance on the opposing ship. The ship's teardrop shape was clearer as it neared. E5 squawked that the jump would take place in five seconds. The two ships veered away at the last second. E5 counted down to jump time, and took over control of the ship to orient itself to the position that it had selected. Trevor watched the other ship as E5 maneuvered. The teardrop ship also adjusted itself and jumped nearly two whole seconds before the stars lengthened into lines and the Whitecloak itself jumped into hyperspace. As E5 maintained control of the ship through hyperspace, Trevor wondered who would be crazy enough to go after his ship, and why. He pondered that thought for the next twenty minutes, through the reversion to normal space, and E5's recalibration for the jump to Umgul. As the Whitecloak jumped a second time, Trevor decided to put the thoughts out of his mind. It wouldn't do to mull over a crazy space pilot, when a Senator had asked for his help. There was also something odd about Essada's request. He hoped that he'd get more information when he arrived in two days.

Oron Essada paced in his spacious living area. The transcript from the communication center sat on the datapad in the center of the sofa table. The ornate furnishing of the Senator had not changed much in the three months since his ascension to the seat. His life, however, did. His wife of nearly twenty years still maintained a loving relationship with him and had borne him three wonderful children. Holographic images of them at work, school and play littered the window sills of the official residence. The sounds of rain against the windowpanes were a constant reminder of Essada's mood. His youngest son had been taken from his bedroom nearly four days ago. Local authorities had not given any clue as to who, what or even why Marl had been taken from his bedroom. Security cameras had been disabled, or erased in such a way that no one had any records of entry or exit. Time stamps on the holovids had two separate gaps where no data was recorded. Two hours after the discovery, a coded transmission had arrived at the Senatorial offices of Oron Essada. The message had been specific in its instructions, and rather cryptic. Essada had been pacing for nearly two hours. A response to his message to the Jedi Council for help had been answered and the young Jedi who had so successfully helped him on Coruscant was already on his way. He was not sure why he was requested to ask for him directly, but someone had a grudge against the young man. He had hoped that someone would be able to find his son prior to this, but when the threat against himself and his family was repeated, he knew he had to follow the kidnapper's demands. A soft whistling invaded Essada's contemplation. He walked over to the communications terminal.

"Yes, what is it?", he answered gruffly.

"Sir, I have a transmission from an ambassador from the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. He says his name is Trevor Gul'dan. Shall I--"

"Secure the line and patch it through," Essada roughly interrupted.

The technician had heard rumors that the Senator was undergoing some very deep stress recently and was not to be argued with. He quickly scrambled the line, and warned the Jedi Knight who had arrived just moments before that the signal was going to be encoded.

Essada waited the few moments while the transmission was completed. He looked out through the window, over the flowing fogbanks of the planet. Umgul was a terrestrial planet that contained its fair share of mountains, hills, and valleys. However, a persistent fog caused many different accidents by tourists, so the traffic controllers always had their hands full. The signal from the com-station indicated that the transmission was now secured.

"Trevor," Essada started.

"Senator," came the response from the Jedi. The voice still seemed rather young, but also still older at the same time.

"Congratulations on your new rank as Jedi Knight."

"Thank you, Senator."

"I was very glad to hear of that. I have been following your progress, what little I can learn about it."

A slight pause seemed to linger in the air as Trevor listened to the senator. _This is small talk, I don't remember him being like this._

"Senator, is there some place we can meet?"

Essada looked around the room. _No, this is just not safe enough someone might hear what I say._ Many thoughts whisked through his brain.

"Yes. Yes. Why don't you dock at one of the diplomatic bays in Umgul City, and I will get the information from Traffic Control and meet you there."

"Very well, Senator."

The transmission ended rather abruptly. Essada looked around, grabbed an elegant robe and exited the room rather quickly. He communicated to his body guard and left to meet the new Jedi. _I hope that I haven't made a mistake._

Trevor guided the Whitecloak down through the clouds towards the foggy diplomatic landing area. The massive limestone hills and craggy outcroppings gave the image of a large animal reaching out and swallowing the rather modern city. There were plenty of large notches in the limestone hills where ships could be seen landing and leaving. He guided the ship into a cavern, turned the ship around so that it faced outward, and landed the craft softly. He raised the canopy up and turned to E5.

"Stay with the ship. Please contact the Council and let them know that we have arrived. I would like to have an update on what's going on. Send also the information on the encounter with the Firespray." He started to turn away, but looked back. "We need to give you a different name, E5." He smiled at the diligent astromech, and jumped down from the ship. The canopy dropped slowly as he walked over towards a sliding access door towards the back of the landing bay. The doors opened, and Trevor tensed slightly. An entourage seemed to be standing outside the door, but a familiar voice raised itself above the crowd.

"Trevor! Good to see you again."

Essada's raised hand as a reference point, Trevor veered over to his location.

"Good to see you too, Senator."

"Come on. Let's find some place more comfortable to talk. Have you had anything to eat?"

Trevor's insides spoke quietly to him as he responded. "Not for a while."

"Good. Let's go grab a bite." Essada waved Trevor down the corridor towards a turbolift that whisked them away from the landing bay. They spoke of nothing in particular, mainly small talk about Coruscant and the weather, two things that were fairly safe topics. At the bottom of the turbolift, Essada led the Jedi across an elevated traincar track to a busy section of the business district. Essada explained the history of the city and how it was constructed into the side of the hills. Essada continued to give a bit of a history lesson as they reached an upper class restaurant. The pair walked in, and Essada immediately walked to a corner booth.

A waiter-droid came over to take their orders. Trevor, not wanting to be rude, ordered a simple vegetable juice, while Essada ordered Calamari tea. The Jedi watched Essada jumble his way through the orders. Trevor ordered a sandwich and soup, the name he could not pronounce but was assured that it tasted like a land foul from Coruscant. Essada only ordered pakin soup. The droid wheeled away, and Trevor sat back in the seat, in as much of a relaxed position as possible.

"Well," the Senator began. He held his tea cup in his hand, and tipped it slightly towards himself. He stared at the contents for a moment before Trevor interrupted his thoughts.

"What is the problem, Senator?" the Jedi asked politely. "Your message was rather cryptic other than the specifics of an attempt on someone's life."

"Yes." Essada continued to stare at the contents, hoping to find courage instead of tea. Not finding it there, he straightened his shoulders and replaced the cup on the saucer. "It is a tricky situation at best. I must admit that if I had not heard that you had been involved in some rather dramatic mission as of late, I might not have asked for your help." Essada sighed.

"I sense a 'but' here, Senator." Trevor immediately detected something was amiss. Essada seemed to be very nervous, almost panicky nervous. Normally, senators keep there emotions in check, but something was definitely wrong.

"Recently, a perspective businessman who was looking to set up a fairly lucrative business arrangement with local industry here on Umgul came to meet with various merchants and corporate figures. I was also to participate in trying to entice him to bring that business to the planet. Could have been profitable for the entire world economy. Haba Murlon was his name. He's a Chevin." Essada paused for a moment. "I had three meetings scheduled with him. The first was what you would expect, basically pleasantries and formalities, not much accomplished. The second meeting seemed to be going along rather well. And then I was to have an informal meeting with him, showing around the town. Basically, sweet talk him about setting up shop on Umgul." At this, Essada's voice dropped down an octave. "When I arrived at his quarters, I realized that meeting wasn't going to happen."

"What caused you to have that feeling."

"He was dead." Essada's face seemed to change a bit of color, as if recollecting the scene.

"How did he die?" Trevor pushed slightly.

"The investigators are not entirely sure."

"Do you have the crime scene holos?"

"Yes, I do. But there wasn't much left of him."

"How long ago was this?"

"This was, uh, four days ago. Whoever did it pointed a thermal detonator into the room. But we believe that he was killed before the room was destroyed. It would seem that the detonator was used merely to cover someone's tracks. Haba was very large and the explosion incinerated most of his body. However, analysis of what remains could be found showed a high level of stress related horomones in his system prior to the explosion."

"What was his business?"

"He was involved with agriculture and food production. There were plans to make use of the moist and expansive growing potential of some large regions that were not being used to their fullest extent. He had contracts with several heavily populated systems, like Coruscant, who needed large scale food import. It could have been an extremely low-cost, high-profit arrangement."

"Were there any records of someone going into the room prior to the explosion?"

"No, there were no security cameras in the room or even in the hallway."

"No other rooms connecting to his?"

"His assistant's room was a part of the apartment. She was also killed in the blast." Essada seemed to want to say more, but held himself back. Trevor missed the cue. "This is extremely troubling."

"Were they going after you, or after him?"

"I don't know why they would go after him. He was a business farmer."

"How many enemies did he have?"

"How many enemies does a farmer have?"

"If he were a successful businessman, he may have a few," Trevor pointed out.

"I was not aware of any major, let's say vicious, competition." Essada's mouth opened again, as if to say something, but held back again. Trevor finally noticed that Essada's brow was sweating profusely. He had even moved forward in his seat while taking in a deep breath. He seemed to be wanting to say something more, but forcing himself to not say anything. Trevor adjusted his vision around, noticing that all the patrons were people he'd expect to be here; the rich, the politic, and the powerful. Trevor did not sense something out of place, so he retracted his vision to a normal point of view. He leaned his body across the seat and rested his elbows on the table. In a subdued voice, Trevor faced off against the esteemed Senator from Umgul.

"Senator. You need to tell me everything. The reason I need to know is if I don't have the information you have, I cannot get a very clear picture of what is going on. If this is not the place to talk, then we should go some place else."

Essada blinked a few times in amazement. "I think you can understand that it is not in my character to lie to a friend. Not in my character to lie to a Jedi or a respected member of those who enforce peace. My interest is peace."

Trevor pushed his advantage. "This is personal. I am getting a sense--"

Essada's eyebrows went up slightly, take aback by the Jedi's perceptions and bluntness. "It is not in my character to do anything of that nature; but as you can imagine, under extreme circumstances, that sort of thing might be the only alternative."

Trevor realized that he was pushing too hard, so he sat back and relaxed a bit. "Well, let's eat our meal. Obviously this is a very stressful situation for you. You invited me to lunch to talk about it. You are not quite ready. That's fine. I am here at your request. When you are ready, I will listen."

At that moment, the waiter droid returned with their meals. The pair ate in silence for the remainder of the time, each with his own thoughts. Trevor wondered what was truly going on behind the scenes. Something just felt wrong, but he couldn't put his finger on it. Some meditation time would have been helpful, but he needed to concentrate on the matter at hand.

Twenty minutes later, the droid collected the remains of their meal. Trevor looked over to Essada, who wrung a napkin in his hands.

"I have already said too much. I have no idea if they are listening. Honestly, I have no idea what I have dragged you into, and I am sorry."

It was Trevor's turn to have the hair's stand up on the back of his neck.

Essada spoke, "I am supposed to invite you to attend the blob races this afternoon."

Trevor whispered to himself, "I really have a bad feeling about this."

"Once we get there, and I have no idea how I was going to do this, but I was supposed to lose you. I was then going to meet someone and retrieve my son." A chill raced down Trevor's back, causing each hair follicle on his shoulders to tingle. "Now, no one has come out and said it, but I am quite certain that at that point, you would be on the receiving end of a very nasty surprise. And I hope you understand, but if I thought that if it was the only way to save my son, I would do it. However, with what happened with Haba, I don't think that I am going to be able to get my son back without help. I don't know if they are listening to me. If they are, I may have already signed his death warrant. But if I didn't say anything, I don't think I would get him back at all. I've taken what measures I could to prevent them from being able to hear me, but, as I said, I can't be certain."

Trevor exhaled deeply. _So, it would seem that someone has been planning this rather well. Interesting that no sooner than a droid wielding a lightsaber is destroyed, a respected senator's son is kidnapped. Someone is DEFINITELY after me. Not that I'm paranoid or anything._ After thinking this to himself, he spoke to the Senator in a rather conspiratorial tone.

"Senator? I have grown quite a bit since the last time we spoke. I can handle myself a bit better. And I promise I will do what I can. However, we need to keep these plans in play if we are going to. I need to send a coded message to the Council. They must be made aware of this. It is rather important."

Essada whispered, "I can tell you where to find a secure holonet com-station." Sliding a datapad over to him, he continued in a normal volume, "Let's say that we will meet up again in an hour. Then we can head over to the track a little bit early, since you were so curious in the blob racing. Maybe I can get you a tour of the stables."

"Very well, Senator. One hour should give me enough time to get settled."

"Very good. One hour."

And with that, the Senator stood up. Trevor watched the Senator placing the layers of protection and false serenity being put back into place. There seemed to be a bit more steel in the man's back now as he walked out. Trevor started to take care of the bill, but the cashier had said that the entire bill was already covered. Trevor nodded and left the restaurant. On his way out, he asked E5 to meet him at the com-station Essada had recommended. He returned his comlink to its pouch and started his walk to the com-station. The map Essada had given him showed that the station was at the government center, well within walking distance. Trevor decided that the fresh air would do him some good considering that E5 would take nearly fifteen minutes to get to the station.

As he walked the streets of Umgul City, he reached out through the Force, trying to see if someone was watching him. Hundreds of people walked in and out of small shops and cafes. With that many people, finding anyone would be a hard time. Trevor kept looking around with his vision, but also reaching out through the Force to identify people. He did this for nearly five minutes, getting used to the amount of people and the different signatures they left in the Force. As he was walking along, he touched on a figure's Force signature that felt like sticking a hand inside the guts of a fish; cold and dead.

The shock of this feeling was unbelievable. Trevor moved his hand in front of his face to try to cover the surprise should any one be looking. Something evil was definitely in the area. It was different when he found Yendys. At least her Force signature was pleasant. This was the total polar opposite. At some point, Trevor realized that he might be watched so he continued to move to the comstation.

E5 was waiting when he arrived at the comstation. The presence was still nearby, so Trevor walked into the station as if he didn't have a care in the world. E5 twittered a bit, but Trevor motioned slowly as to not alert his tail. Inside the comstation, Trevor bent down and whispered to E5.

"I want this message embedded inside of my transmission to Coruscant." He proceeded to dictate to E5 the events that happened with Essada at the restaurant as well as the plans of the kidnappers. Once completed, Trevor punched in the codes for the Jedi Temple with the proper priority signal. He activated the comstation, and awaited for the connection to the Council Chambers. The holonet station hummed, and the image of Master Eeth Koth appeared.

"Master Koth, I have arrived safely on Umgul and met with Senator Essada."

"Excellent."

Nearly stepping on his voice, Trevor changed the tempo of the entire conversation. In Huttese, Trevor whispered, "Coded transmission embedded. I have a bit of a problem."

Koth responded with an slang version of "Oh, I see." The hands reached up and grabbed his face. But the eyes whisked back and forth, reading the second message quickly. Replying in Basic, "It is always difficult when practicality and politics meet. Do what you need to to achieve your mission." In Huttese, Koth responded, "There is an old saying: the best way to gain an advantage over your competitor in a deal is to keep them off their feet and keep them off of their home turf. Then you will have the advantage."

Trevor thought about the saying, realizing the hidden message. He then responded in Basic. "I'll report back upon learning more details of what the Senator requires of me. He has been rather close to the vest. Nothing has been said, it was basically a casual sit down lunch. He did mention that he wanted to bring me to the blob races."

"Yes, that should prove interesting."

"Maybe I can get the Senator to open up after the blob races. I mentioned it last time we met that I was interested. It might be able to loosen the Senator's tongue."

The image nodded to Trevor. "Good luck, Trevor. May the Force be with you."

Trevor nodded back, and the image faded. The hidden message gave Trevor a level of confidence that he hadn't felt since Essada dropped the news about his son. Trevor had guessed that Master Koth would have been a rather ferocious fighter if cornered. As he opened the comstation door, Trevor walked out, turned to E5 and requested he return to the ship, forwarding any important message from the Council to his comlink. He added that it should be sent in Anx, Shudo's language, figuring that Shudo would want to speak his native language from time to time. He watched E5 roll back towards the diplomatic hanger bays. He reached out with the Force, and was rewarded with the same feeling of cold, dark and death nearby. Screwing his concentration even more, Trevor realized that the figure who was emanating this feeling was definitely nearby. He rotated his vision in a full circle, trying to figure out where this feeling was coming from. As he neared his right shoulder, a cowled figure ducking behind the corner of a nearby building caught his eye. He turned his walking self towards the direction of the tourist district to give the indication that he was not looking around, or had not seen anyone. Redirecting his vision gave him a better clue as to his shadow. The cloaked figure removed the cowl to present natural platinum blonde hair. The obsidian orbs that allowed the figure to see were rather striking and the veined skin announced to Trevor louder than a one-hundred piece band that this was his mysterious communicator from Ord Mantell! As he watched, her eyes seemed to blink, but the lids did not move. Where a human's eyes would blink from the top and botton, this individual's eyes blink from the inside, from right and left. _Freaky,_ Trevor thought. What she was doing here was not as concerning as that dark, cold feeling. He had never felt anything like it before. The power of death was the only description that he could use. It was very easy to distinguish from other sensations in the area. She might have even been following him since meeting up with the senator. She pulled up the cloak, and moved off into the crowd.

Thinking he'd get the surprise on this mysterious person, he tried to mask his presense in the Force as he did for Yoda a few weeks ago at his Trials. Figuring that he'd successfully masked himself, he bolted for the corner of the building that hid the unknown tail. Trevor reach the first alleyway, turned and raced to the other side. He was barely winded when he pulled up short of the next street. He peered around the corner and was surprised to find that the figure was no longer within immediate contact. Trevor's face took on a concerned look. _She was here a short time ago,_ Trevor thought. He surveyed the crowd and walked towards the comtubes that connect the city to the rest of the planet.

He finally spotted her a good distance down the road, running away from Trevor's position. Now there were two immediate possibilities; either she realized that he was heading to meet the Senator, or she realized that he was trying to follow her. He took only a moment to decide to continue following this stranger. Trying to keep his presence muted, he chased after her. The crowds did not lend themselves for quick transit, but Trevor realized that her lead was not insurmountable, but she definitely had a good jump on him. Trevor continued to run towards his follower towards the comtube area. The main comtube had a loading ramp nearly thirty meters ahead, and as Trevor reached the ramp, she turned her head and looked right at Trevor. _Well, she knows I'm here now._ Trevor allowed his Force presence to normal. A commuter train arrived at the main terminal, right near where the figure was running from. Her cloak billowed out as she threw it to the ground. Knowing that she was being persued by the Jedi, she ignited her lightsaber, red blade swinging back and forth clearing a path towards the commuter train. Trevor continued to ascend the ramp, avoiding people who were trying to escape the red lightsaber. She swung the lightsaber in wide arcs, causing passengers to dive out of the way. She nearly decapitated a handful of people in trying to reach the train. Trevor reached down and grasped his own lightsaber from the right holster. He did not ignite it at this point, knowing that he wanted to be sure he was not near anyone who might get hurt by the extraction of the blade. The crowd, seeing his saber hilt, gave him plenty of room as well. Trevor ran towards the last car, and entered the car just as the doors closed. Passengers threw themselves into their seats to avoid getting run down by both of the antagonists.

The black eyed figure moved her way towards the front, kicking down doors and knocking over bystanders who got in her way. The train was moving down the track, and Trevor could look through the windows to see in the cars ahead. Most of the comtubes were controlled by druids, and Trevor could see into the piloting compartment. The droid was sliced in half and the control board was smashed to pieces. He saw that the speed control levers were pushed to the limits. Trevor suddenly realized that the panel did not normally glow red. _She's around the corner, waiting to bait me on._ Trevor arrived at the front of the second car, and smelled a trap no matter what he did.

"EVERY ONE, OUT! THIS WAY!" Trevor shouted. Most of the passengers were already at his door. He stepped out of the way, allowing quick exit of the passengers, and stepped into the middle of the gangway. Trevor ignited his lightsaber, and verifying that no other passengers were on the first car, sliced his blade through the connecting umbilical cords. Sparks flew as Trevor connected with the main metallic connector between the cars. The remainder of the commuter train immediately started to slow down as the main car pulled Trevor and his attacker forward.

A sizzling sound caused Trevor to turn back towards his attacker. Suddenly a metallic clank reached his ears as his vision noted that a round piece of metal floated off the top of the train, into the atmosphere of Umgul City. Trevor grabbed the top of the car and, using the Force, flipped himself onto the top of the main engine.

The wind whipped by his face as the train continued to gain speed. On the front portion of the car, just in front of a large hole, the lithe figure stood with her feet shoulder length apart, red blade held with two hands in front of her, and a sneer on her face. Trevor twirled his lightsaber in his right hand in a complete circle, preparing for any sort of action on her part. He finally realized that she was a Chev, a symbiotic species that were basically slaves to the Chevin. She glared at Trevor, daggers in her eyes. Her mouth opened, as if about to take a large bite out of something and a thunderous hiss issued forth, running at the Jedi.

Trevor walked two meters forward and began a quick two stroke series of strikes he learned early on from Shudo. She deftly parried both strikes, and countered with a blaze of swings on her own. Her ferocity caught him off-guard on the first strike, but Trevor countered her remaining swings. He then rolled his shoulders and sent two quick thrusts towards her. This time, she had to take a step back to counter his attack. Each time they traded blows, she continued to hiss at him as if trying to distract him. It worked during the middle of the next series of her attacks. However, Trevor realized he'd seen this move before from Shudo, and countered them with little difficulty.

Each combatant took a small step backward, as if at some prearranged signal. Trevor immediately jumped forward slightly, swinging the blade low on the left, but high on the right. She was certainly having a difficult time with his fighting style, as he kept changing styles to keep her offbalance. She responded with two swipes to the head, which he blocked effortlessly. However, the stab towards the body was not what he expected. As he dodged the blow, he realized that his energy stores were drained. He got back to his feet, feeling extremely tired by this point. His lightsaber dropped from its normal position down nearly five centimeters. Trevor ratched up the courage to end this quickly. He took a deep breath as he brought his lightsaber across his body towards her neck. His attack was strong enough that her parry rebounded backwards onto her shoulder. She screamed in pain as the blade connected.

Trevor's subconscious had registered a sound earlier, but had ignored it until the sound could be heard over the roar of the wind in his ears. He was able to catch a glimpse out of the corner of his vision a speeder bike racing alongside the train. The bike ducked back behind Trevor. An impression of blaster fire reached Trevor's brain, and he ducked down just as two blaster streaks over his head. The other combatant also moved out of the way. However, the Chev recovered her footing first and hacked at Trevor, trying to cut him down. Even on one knee, Trevor blocked every blow. Pushing the last attack back, Trevor stood up and faked a swing for the head, then redirected his blade across her stomach. The blade bit into skin, and the Chev bellowed in pain. She reached her arms back, ready to strike at his head. However, Trevor turned his body around, spinning on one foot, extended his arm outward and dissected the body across the lowest part of the midsection, right under the hips. The torso slid off, bouncing into the atmosphere.

Trevor disengaged his blade and immediately wondered how to get the train to stop, and how he was going to get off. Suddenly the speeder bike pulled along side the train. A helmeted pilot guided the bike steadily next to the train. Without speaking any words, Trevor realized that this speeder bike pilot was offering a ride. Trevor did not ask twice, and jumped onto the bike, exhausted. He reached around to make sure that he did not fall off. The pilot turned away from the train. Just after doing so, two more air speeders with Umgul Traffic Control markings whipped past, going after the commuter train. Trevor felt better now that he wasn't on that fast moving train, even though the speeder biker was moving not much slower. The pilot landed quickly to give the passenger a chance to be on solid ground once more.

Once the bike came to a complete stop, Trevor dismounted the bike and took a step back. Something told Trevor that this pilot knew him, and he was partially curious as to who would have helped him. As the pilot withdrew the helmet, long brown hair and horns identified exactly who would help him in a time of need.

"What are you doing here, Yendys?"

Yendys Arctell gave Trevor a sly smirk. "You know, you are a pain in the butt to follow. I had to act like I was attacking you just to get by."

"We need to talk about this. But first, I need to find that body right now." Trevor's current temperament was not one to discuss surprises. Yendys saw in her former clanmate a Jedi Knight just coming into his power and the leader that she sensed he would become. She nodded, "Let's go." The pair re-mounted the bike and took off in search of the body. Five minutes later, Trevor spotted the body sprawled in the middle of a side street. Yendys landed the bike and Trevor went over to investigate. Trevor reached down, and turned the body over. He did not look at the face much. The black eyes stood out from the face and a trickle of blood traced a line down from the mouth. It stood out so shockingly from the rest of the black and white complexion of the Chev. Yendys just stood with the bike, watching Trevor and his reaction.

Trevor stood up, searched for a blanket or a robe. Retrieving one from a pile of rags in a nearby alley, he covered the Chev's body. He nodded to Yendys and proceeded to contact Senator Essada. Essada immediately responded in a frantic tone.

"What's happening?"

"Where are you?"

"I'm – I'm -- waiting for you!"

"I'll be there shortly. I ran into an associate," looking over at Yendys. Her eyebrows raised a few centimeters, as if saying _What?_

"Any word on my son?"

Trevor silently took a deep breath. "None yet. But I am working on it."

"I'm waiting…" Essada's voice was nearing panic.

"Senator, I will be there shortly." Trevor quickly ended the conversation, knowing that the Senator was certainly not in a position to help. He motioned for Yendys to come over. "We need to transport this to the Senator. Can you give me a hand?"

"What, a big strong Jedi like you needing help from little old me?" Yendys' joke met deaf ears.

"I'm not in the mood. Lift."

Yendys realized that she pushed him just a bit too far, but she just shrugged her shoulders and gave Trevor the boost needed to load the body onto the speeder bike. Trevor searched the body to try and secure things that might have fallen off during transport. He grabbed the Chev's lightsaber, strapped it to his belt, and search the utility belt's pouches. He found a small blaster pistol, a sensor pack, a set of macrobinoculars, a really high tech comlink, and a little inactive translator droid. He grabbed the comlink and droid, secured them into pouches on his belt. He turned around, and realized that a crowd was starting to gather.

"We need to get this body off of the street. If this was the cause of the kidnapping and the Chevin's death, then where is the boy? There has to be another associate nearby." Trevor reached down for the comlink and activated the comlink. Trying to find the last frequency used, he was actually able to find three different codenames, not communication frequencies. The names shown were DRONE, TEST, and TALON. He tried to figure out the comlink, but gave up after another fifteen seconds. He turned to Yendys.

"I need you to take me to the blob track stadium."

"Did you find any body on the comlink?"

"Yes, I found three nicknames or code names on the call list." He read off the list to her. "Do those make any sense to you?"

Yendys thought about it for a few moments. "Well, DRONE sounds like a droid. TEST, test, test,…" As Yendys repeated the word over again, both of the Jedi reached the same thought at that exact moment. Yendys spoke what Trevor was thinking. "Do you think that the droid on Ord Mantell was a test model?"

"Could very well be. It would make some sick kind of sense, wouldn't it?"

"Trying out a new model, seeing how it works on its own. Might have found the origin of that signal."

"I think we might have. Look at the face." Trevor reached around and uncovered the face of his attacker. "Does this look familiar to you?"

"Yes, it does." Yendys' face actually blanched slightly. "So, DRONE would be a droid, probably not the one on her belt. TALON…"

"Something to be used to attack. She wasn't expecting--"

"Now, you are looking for somebody's kid?"

Trevor smirked at her. "Yes, and the somebody's name is Senator Oron Essada."

"If somebody else has the kid, if she didn't just have him locked away, if she had an accomplice, out of those choices, it was probably the droid."

The two talked about the choices and where to go from here. Yendys also asked about what else he found. He showed her the 'translator' droid and her eyes opened as big as starships.

"Wow! I've wanted one of these for a while now?"

Trevor was now interested. "What is it?"

She grabbed the droid from him and proceeded to press three buttons simultaneously, turning on the droid. As the gyros spun up, her eyebrows raised up. "Well, it's functional." After working the controls for a moment, a compartment opened displaying a myriad of tools and gadgets. Within a moment or two, the droid started to hover. Trevor realized that this was a hovering slicer droid, used to get into the Senator's house and kidnap the boy. She reached up, deactivated it, and started to pocket the device. However, with Trevor watching her every move, she reluctantly gave the droid back to Trevor. He nodded once and pocketed it.

"We need to get to the stadium. We don't have much time," Trevor warned.

"No, I don't think we do either. Let's go." The pair quickly mounted the speeder bike and proceeded directly towards the blob stadium. The trip took nearly ten minutes of crisscrossing the city to reach their destination. Trevor asked Yendys to put the helmet on, because he didn't want to give away anything at this point. Trevor only hoped that it would be enough.

As they neared the stadium, Trevor noticed that the persistent fog that seemed to enshroud the entire city was absent here. He looked ahead and noted that large fans could be seen above the stadium forcing the fog away. It reminded Trevor of a well, but this time it was a well of fresh air. The bike slowed down and approached an entrance way. The races were still at most an hour away, and the guards waved them to park the speeder towards a parking area just for bikes. The body was, thankfully, still wrapped up on the back. The pair dismounted and Trevor walked up to the guards at the doorway. Both guards each instinctively took a step to opposite sides of the gateway, as if covering one another. Trevor realized that he was not in the traditional Jedi robes. He was still wearing his white shirt and dark pants. And the quickdraw holsters with the lightsabers probably didn't make them any less nervous either. Yendys stood by the bike, helmet still on her head.

"Can we help you?" one of the guards asked.

"Yes, I am here to see Senator Oron Essada. He told me to meet him here." Trevor's eyebrows raised up slightly, as if assuming they would know who he was and where he'd sit.

"And you are?"

"My name is Trevor Gul'dan."

"And what group are you with?"

Trevor paused for only a moment. "I am with the Senator."

The guard looked down at the two lightsabers, and realized that the only kind of person to have two lightsabers would be a Jedi. _I really don't want to heckle this Jedi any more, do I, _thought the guard.

"Well, I am not sure that the Senator is here yet, but you can walk down the corridor here, and you'll be able to find his viewing box rather easily."

"Excellent. Is there a place where my associated and I can store something rather unique?"

"We have some holding rooms that you can use."

"I need to reserve an entire holding room." As he said this, Yendys grabbed the body and heaved it over her shoulders. The guards looked at each other in disbelief. They lead the pair to the holding rooms and showed Trevor how to activate the locking mechanism. As Yendys dumped the body into the room, Trevor asked the guard to turn away. He punched in a random bunch of numbers to lock the door.

"Is there a temperature control for this room?"

The guard had a perplexed look on his face, but showed him where it was.

"I would ask that you not discuss any of this. Jedi business, you know."

At the word _Jedi_, the guards visibly relax. "Oh, don't worry, Master Jedi. We know you were never here." They immediately turn away and leave the two standing perplexed in the corridor. Trevor shrugged slightly, and turned towards the nearest stairwell.

"Can I take off the helmet yet?"

Trevor wheeled on her, getting right in her face. "Depends. What are you doing here?" His voice was edged with steel.

"All right…" Whipping off the helmet, Yendys shakes her hair out. "Look, I know you. I haven't seen you in a long time, but I know you. You weren't going to let that transmission slide. I knew you were going to go after her." Her face told him, _I told you so._

"I did NOT expect her to be here." Trevor whispered each word as if it were a sentence.

"You mean, you just ran into her the very next place you go?"

With teeth gritted, he hissed "Yes."

"Boy, it's a good thing I followed you."

Trevor's demeanor changed. He actually was very glad to see her, but he didn't want to give her the complete satisfaction of winning this round. However, if she hadn't been following him on the train, he might just be in a pile of rubble somewhere. "Yes, very good thing. Now, the next question is how?"

"Well, you know you would have gone after her if you could of." A moment's pause, as Yendys had turned away from Trevor's face. When he did not respond immediately, she turned back, finally understanding the question.

"Oh! Oh. Well, you know. Old friend…" She walked over to him, reached across his shoulder, pulled something off his collar.

"Hold on to that, will ya?" She smirked and headed up the stairs. Trevor turned his vision down, and saw a small tracer in the middle of his palm. He suddenly felt very foolish for giving her a hug. But at least, she was not rubbing it into his face.

"C'mon," Trevor mumbled and the pair walked into the stadium and looked out.

They looked out over the track, spotting a bizarre looking track. There were straightaways with machinery littering and blocking the track. A man was out in the middle of one of the straightaways poking at a pile of protoplasm with a long pole. Trevor thought it was odd until the semi-transparent protoplasm moved. He immediately thought of a giant amoeba. When the pole contacted the blob, it suddenly took off down the track, sprinting for its life. As it moved down the track, Trevor noticed a few others scattered around. Each of the blobs had their own colors, and a pair seemed to touch one another, but not mess. There was enough activity to nearly distract Trevor from his mission. There were so many different obstacles that he couldn't understand what they were there for, but after watching for about two minutes, he understood why people liked blob racing. _Maybe if I am able to retire, I will be a blob racer._ Trevor smiled to himself.

Trevor wrenched his vision away from the track on the floor of the stadium to the seats across and near his current location. He could see a few early spectators arriving, getting the best seats. They had walked to a fancy balcony area where ramps and stairways lead down to the floor or up to viewing boxes and balconies. The crowd was very small, still too early to have much of anything going on. Trevor reached down and grabbed his comlink.

"Senator Essada, please."  
Yendys decided that she didn't need to hear any more. She walked down the ramp a few steps, sat down in a seat, and placed her feet over the seat in front of her. She placed the helmet down under the cushion and waved to Trevor as he was connected to Essada.

"Trevor."

"Senator, do you think you can meet me at the stadium."

"Have you found my son yet?"

"No, not yet. But I am working on it, getting closer every moment."

"I am on my way."

Trevor walked down and crouched down next to her. "I need a favor."

A wicked grin crossed her face. "Oh, and what kind of favor is it?"

He reached onto his utility belt and handed Yendys the Chev's comlink. "I need you to use your newly acquired skills and find out where these other 'code names' are located. I need locations of where those things could be."

The smile that shown on Yendys' face disappeared quicker than a hyperspace jump. She took the comlink from Trevor's hands and immediately went to work. Trevor stood up and looked around at the stadium more. He followed a few people, and even searched under the stands but could not find anything suspicious. Moments later, Yendys tugged on his pantleg.

"Ok, if we're right, and the drone one is some droid that is watching the kid, then I can send a signal that will call it to our location, wherever the communicator is."

"Will it bring the boy?"

"I can send a non-verbal message."

"What about the other one? We know what TEST is."

"We don't know what that is and I don't want to send to something to someone I know nothing about. I think that, if we send the signal and plant the communicator in a little nook here, we should tuck out of the way."

Trevor took a deep breath, and acquiesced. Part of him wanted all the information gathered, but her logic made some sense.

"All right. How long to do you think it will take to get here."

"If it is close by, not long at all. That way, we catch it by surprise, instead of the other way around."

"Do it." Yendys activated her plan and sent the signal. She walked up the ramp they were on and placed it in the nook she indicated. She then walked back down towards her seat and got herself set. She plunked the helmet on her leg as if she were waiting for the show. Trevor walked up the ramp, down the other side, and sat down to rest. He wasn't sure how long it was going to take, but started to perform a simple relaxation exercise. It had been a while since he'd done it, and was surprised that he found himself feeling more refreshed than before. He hadn't been able to gather the Force to himself, but upon doing a simple exercise, he felt better than he had since the train ride.

No more than three minutes after he sat down, a steady _k-tung, k-tung, k-tung_ could be hear coming down the hallway. Trevor adjusted his vision to the entrance of the hallway leading under the seats, and saw a large battle droid, outfitted just like those he and Shudo found on Metallos, walking down the corridor, with a large bundle on it's back. He moved his vision down the corridor so that he could actually look at the back hanging over his shoulder. It was certainly big enough to hold a school age child. Trevor stood up, slid the lightsaber into his right hand, and headed up the ramp. He reached the entrance way at just about the same time as the droid reached the comlink. Trevor continued to walk down the corridor and tried to say, "Oh, excuse me" as if walking by him.

Yendys noticed that Trevor had stood up. She also could hear the steady footfalls of the droid down the corridor. She did not have Trevor's vision, but her vantage point gave her a direct line of sight to the comlink and the droid. To anyone that was looking at her, it would look like she was just stretching her arm behind her head. However, Trevor felt Yendys gather the Force to her, and reach out with it. Trevor was surprised to see the straps break on the bag, dropping the bag onto the ground. The droid turned its back to Trevor, weapons folding out on the ready. _Nice, Yendys. Thank you!_

Trevor ignited his lightsaber and swung wildly. The blade connected, skittering across the leg. It tried to pull out of the way, but was unable to get out of the way. Trevor glided his saber straight up the middle of the droid, dissecting it in half. The pieces fell away, not falling on the boy. Yendys heard Trevor's blade ignite and bounded out of her seat, running up the ramp. As the first droid fell down, Yendys reached the top of the ramp. Both Jedi heard the clomp clomp clomp of more footfalls. Two more droids walked into the far end of the corridor, only five meters away and both sets of blasters firing away. Trevor took one long step over the boy, and began waved his lightsaber in front of his body in a classic Jedi defensive posture. However, the droids were very erratic in their shooting, so Trevor's defenses were never tested. All of the laser shots headed straight into the walls and ceiling. The droids walked into Trevor's range and he extended his sword arm out to the first droid, severing the laser arm on the first swing and the follow up swing dissected the droid across the middle. Trevor's arm swung across the hallway towards the other droid, but the sound of three more droids marching towards his corridor caused him to stop in mid swing. The second droid fired directly at Trevor's head. He raised his sword up and deflected the shot back towards the droid. It resoundly struck the chest of the droid, causing it to fall backwards. It was certainly damaged, so Trevor reached out, lightsaber impaled directly into the center of the head. The droid slumped down on to the ground, completely destroyed.

"Yendys! Check on the boy!"

Trevor's adrenaline was flowing now at full speed. He turned his back to Yendys, knowing that she would could take care of the boy should he fall. However, he was not going to let droids end his life. He felt himself completely drained away, and unable to call upon the Force. Any direct hit from the droids might kill him, but at least he would go down fighting.

Three more super battle droids turned the corner, firing at white-bladed Jedi. Trevor's defenses were certainly stronger than ever, deflected a shot back at the droid that originally fired it. The shot took a good chunk out of the shoulder. Trevor spun on his toes and swung into the injured droid. His blade sliced completely through, causing sparks to light the entire hallway. He ducked under a laser bolt, gliding his saber up through a second droid. He caught the droid in the power pack, causing the droid to seize up and literally blow apart. The third droid attempted to counter attack, but the debris field from his fellow droid caused all his fire to go awry. Trevor's blade, coming down from the last swing, caused the droid to take a step backward. He riposted his saber into the center of the droid, and flicked his wrist, causing the droid to split into two pieces. As the debris clattered to the floor, Trevor searched the area for more antagonists, but thankfully could not find any more. A deep breath escaped Trevor's lungs as he settled his lightsaber in his hands a bit more comfortably.

Yendys had, by this time, extracted the boy from his bonds. She had moved him out of the corridor into a seat just to the right of the door. She looked him over and reported to Trevor.

"He seems to be a little groggy. They might have used a tranquilizer on him, but other than that, he's fine. Could you grab the comlink from the hallway?"

Trevor walked back down the corridor and gathered up the comlink that they used for bait. He returned it to Yendys, and she looked at the names one more time. An inquisitive look appeared on her face. "Look at this," she said and handed the comlink back to him. Trevor looked at it and realized that the DRONE and TEST entries had been lit with a different color.

"Looks like this is an active communication device. If something is dead, she would know if any of these were still alive. So, who is Talon?" A moment later the guard unit that they encountered at the gate stormed down the corridor with the droids. Upon seeing the ignited lightsaber they immediately deferred to Trevor.

"Is everyone ok?"

Yendys spoke right up. "We have a boy who may need medical attention."

The guard got right onto his comlink. "We need a medical team to Junction box AA-23 immediately." Right on the heels of the communication, Trevor could hear Senator Essada calling his son. Essada was running down the hallway, just as a frantic father would do.

"Marl! Marl!"

"I'm over here, Da!"

An emotional reunion between father and son did not need a Jedi and his associate in the middle. So Trevor and Yendys took a few steps away from the scene to allow some privacy. As the two looked over to the Essada's, Trevor leaned over towards Yendys.

"You sure you don't want to come back?"

Yendys looked at Trevor with a gleam in her eye. "When I'm doing all this good out here?"

Trevor's face broke out in a very broad smile. He realized that nothing he could say would be appropriate. She had made her choice, and no matter what he would want from the future, nothing would allow her to go back on her word. She'd been given a choice many years ago, and she passed up on it. Yoda had explained to Trevor that it was her path, and so long as she did not go over to the Dark Side, she could still be of some use to the Order. _I don't know how he does that, but he's right again!_

"Keep up the good work."

"Same to you." She studied his face, as if seeing it for the first time. _He's a Knight now. But he hasn't changed who he is. I'm glad the Order didn't corrupt him too badly._ She hands the comlink back to Trevor.

He turned his back to the security team and faced her. "We need to do this again."

"Yeah, well, I figure it isn't going to take you too long to find out who this Talon is, or what it is."

"I'm thinking it's a who. It might be someone who knows how to transport these illegal droids back and forth. This might be the connection we need to break this open." Trevor did not know how to proceed. Any other topic was either forbidden by the Council or something that he was not prepared to deal with at this point.

"So. Keep in touch. You going to be on Ord Mantell for a while, or are you going to be moving on?"

"I am not sure exactly where I'm heading next. You still have that transmitter?"

"I do."

"Good." She took a deep breath, and turned to him. "Well, let's not get mushy or anything here. I don't want to get caught in all of this that's about to happen." She waved her hand back at the entourage that was forming around the Senator.

"You already have."

"Not yet. I'll be in touch." She turned around, walked directly down the ramp, and jumped over a barrier into another section. She looked back, and gave Trevor a huge smile, bigger than any thing else she had given him recently. Trevor knew that at this point in the day, after the battles he'd faced, he was not in a condition to stop her. He had a feeling he'd see her again, but not for many years. Trevor grasped the transmitter that she had placed on his clothing. He realized it was still on, so he turned it off and placed it back into his pocket. When he looked up, she had disappeared. He nodded silently to himself, and turned around to face the rest of his assignment.

Allowing the Senator to have some time with his son, Trevor investigated the droids. They were exactly the same types as those on Metallos. He was not able to gather any information from them, so he left them alone for now. He'd have to bring them back to Coruscant for more analysis. He waved down the commander of the security force guarding the Senator.

"Commander, do you know how many Chev's there are planetside?"

Commander Javin Sico gave the Jedi a confused look. "Impossible to tell, we have so many people coming and going. Why do you ask?"

"There was an incident on the commuter train earlier today. The party that caused it was a Chev."

"Do you think this was connected to the death of the Chevin."

"I think it was directly related to the Chevin, but not in the traditional way. Chevs and Chevins have a symbiotic relationship, even though the Chevins have enslaved the Chevs for centuries. I believe that she killed the Chevin to cover up her tracks. But I can't be certain until I find this Chev's base was."

"Is the person still at large?"

"No, she is not."

"You neutralized the threat?"

"In a manner of speaking. If I knew where her base of operations were, …" Trevor had walked down the corridor towards the opening on the balcony. Two medical technicians were reviewing notes while a third continued to administer aid to the young Essada. A thought suddenly struck Trevor and he realized he might know where her base of operations was. He walked over to the young boy and squatted down in front of him.

"Hey, Marl. How are you feeling?"

"I'm doin' ok." Marl Essada had the facial features of his father, only compressed into the body of a ten year old.

"I need to ask you a question. Do you know where they were keeping you?"

Marl nodded quickly. "Yeah, they were keeping me in one of the storage rooms here, down in the basement level."

Trevor was taken aback by the closeness of her base. "Could you show me where?" The medical technician started to protest, but the young boy bounded from his seat and nearly pulled Trevor over backwards by the sudden burst of energy.

"I'll bring him right back, or you can follow along," Trevor shouted to the technician. The technician nodded, and proceeded to jot notes down on his datapad. Senator Essada followed along immediately, not wanting to have Marl out of his sight. A couple of turbolifts and hallways later, the three of them were deep in the bowels of the stadium. Marl walked the two older men to a small room. He opened the door, and stepped back. Trevor walke in and took in the contents of the room. The items Trevor could see were a small heater, a mini-refrigeration unit, and a pile of rough blankets. He searched around for only a few moments, but realized that this was a temporary holding area, nothing more.

He walked back out grasping his datapad. "Marl, do you recognize this face?"

He turned the datapad over, showing the face of the Chev from the communication terminal from Ord Mantell.

"Yeah, I recognize her." His face drained of color, and he turned away, but he kept his voice strong.

Trevor immediately turned it off, and returned the pad to its normal place on his belt. "You were always in here?"

"Yeah." The boy's face sheepishly turned back toward Trevor. Seeing that the datapad was put away, he seemed more eager to talk.

"What was the last thing you remember before being in here?"

"When that nasty evil Jedi lady came into my room."

"And that was it."

"Yeah, she had a little floating droid with her." Trevor pulled out the droid and showed her. Marl enthusiastically nodded his head. "Yup, that's it!" The Senator's eyes nearly fell out of his head when Trevor showed the younger Essada the slicer. He replaced that to his belt.

"Thank you, Marl. You've been very helpful."

Marl stopped Trevor as he turned around to lead the group out. "She said to do exactly what I was told, or she said she would kill me, and then she'd kill my father. And I said that he was too powerful, he was a Senator, and nobody'd be able to get to him. But she said that she could. And she said that my father wasn't as powerful as she was."

Trevor stopped in his tracks, listening to Marl spout off all that happened over the last few days. He continued to push the matter, just enough so that he wouldn't feel the fear later that night.

"Thank you again, Marl."

"I asked her if she was a Sith, she said that she was something better."

Trevor cocked his head to one side, concentrating on Marl's statement. _What's more evil than a Sith,_ Trevor thought. _ The Council needs to get this report as soon as possible._

"Marl, you have been a fountain of information." Trevor rustled the boy's hair, and the smile that escaped the boy's face lit up the basement area.

"If you ask me, I'd say she was something worse." Marl spied the two lightsabers on Trevor's legs. "Are you a Jedi, right?"

The flow of pride was short-lived in Trevor's chest, but the resulting gooseflesh reminded Trevor that there were good and truly innocent people in the galaxy. Children took that form, and for anyone to kidnap, or even hurt, a child was definitely part of the Dark Side. He leaned close to him, acting very secretively.

"Yes, I am," whispered Trevor.

"Good. Thank you for saving me." Marl's face would be in engrained in his memory for as long as he lived. Essada put his hand on his son's shoulders and guided Marl out of the dark room. Trevor looked in the room for a few more minutes, but was unable to find anything useful. He closed the door and left the area swiftly.

A few moments later, Trevor found himself catching up to the Senator outside the stadium. Security forces had erected a tent over the gate that Trevor had entered what seemed like days ago. The speeder bike that he had used to get here was nowhere to be seen. Trevor dismissed the thoughts coming into his head, and caught the Senator's attention. The senator excused himself right away, and motioned for Trevor to interrupt him.

"Sir, I need to contact the Council."

"All right. You.. Yes, you… Bring this Jedi to a Holonet room. Now. When he is done, bring him to my apartment."

The guard saluted the Senator and motioned for Trevor to follow him. Moments later, Trevor was standing in a holonet room communicating with the Jedi Council. Master Windu's blue-green apparition appears in front of him moments later.

"Trevor, what is the current status?" Windu began without preamble.

"The kidnapping has been resolved successfully. Marl Essada is now back with his father."

"I understand that things got rather complicated."

"Extremely complicated, Master."

"Who was the kidnapper?"

"A Chev who, by the recollection of the boy, said that she was better than a Sith. She constructed her own lightsaber, and was very well trained in the Jedi Arts."

"Did you defeat her?" Mace asked.

"Yes sir, I did. I have recovered half of its body, and I would like permission to have the Temple study it."

"Immediately, if possible."

"We also found two items of interest." After a moment's pause, Trevor decided to change. "Actually, three. The first was a communicator. She had the boy guarded by a squad of super droids of the same construction as those we found on Metallos. No lightsaber attachments, but the same design."

"Do you think that this was the mysterious client from that mission?"

"I think there is more. There were two other contacts on the communicator. It also registers if there is someone receiving a signal on the other end."

"And one of them is still active?"

"Yes, Master."

"Is there a name or identification of some kind."

"The only identification on here is TALON. I also picked up what I believe is a slicer droid. A very complex droid, I might add. I am bringing that in for study as well."

"Good," Windu said non-committally.

"The third item was a tracer, a homing beacon."

"From who?" He was definitely concerned now.

"From Yendys Arctell. She followed me here to Umgul."

"Do you know why?"

"Actually, she followed me thinking that I was on the trail of the person who created the droid on Ord Mantell."

"And she was trying to help you or stop you?"

"Definitely help me." And he related the speeder bike and how it help defeat the Sith-like Chev. "She also rescued the boy from the droid guarding her. It was her plan to use the comlink like a trap. So, yes, I believe that she was trying to help me."

"Very well." Windu's voice didn't show surprise very often, but this was now the second time in the last year that Trevor had caught Windu by surprise. "If your business on Umgul is complete, I would ask that you return to Coruscant as soon as possible."

"I need to arrange transport for the Chev body. Right now it is in cold storage."

"The Council will arrange to cover any expenses, of course. Use the most security where possible." Windu paused and started Trevor in the eye. "Well done, Trevor. Well done indeed."

"Thank you, Master." Hearing praise from a Jedi Weapons Master like Mace Windu was an honor all its own. The image faded away. Trevor found the guard no more than three meters away from the door, and lead him to the Senator's apartment.

Marl was back in his room, sleeping soundly. Oron Essada closed the door as he finished checking on him. Trevor watched the entire sequence from inside Marl's room. He searched around and found no other evidence of bugging. Essada walked down the corridor quietly to Trevor.

"Well, Master Jedi," Essada began quietly, not wanting to wake up his son, "what can I do for you?"

"I need a diplomatic transport, priority to Coruscant."

"Absolutely, when do you need to leave?"

"Right now." Trevor didn't want to pull rank on the Senator, but he had the feeling that he should be back on Coruscant as soon as possible.

"What are you transported, just yourself?"

"No, myself and a body. Well, actually half a body. I don't have room in my ship to be able to carry the body."

"What docking bay is your ship in?"

"Diplomatic Docking 73."

"Head to Docking Bay 87. The ship will be ready for you in twenty minutes. I'll have a pilot ready for you."

"Excellent, thank you. I appreciate this."

"I have not yet begun to pay you back yet. Thank you."

Trevor bowed slightly. "It is my pleasure to serve, Senator Essada."

"Thank you." Tears formed in the corner's of the Senator's eyes. Trevor shook hands with Essada, turned on his heel, and walked the distance to the diplomatic shuttle bay. He would have taken the comtube, but someone still hadn't picked up the mess he'd made fighting the Chev.

On the way, Trevor contacted E5, and instructed him to follow along with the whitecloak. A squeak force Trevor to place a datapad under the comlink.

"Been notified to dock with ship located in Docking Bay 87." Trevor's eyebrows raised up to the stops, and was deathly curious when he arrived. As the doors opened, Trevor realized that his transport was none other that the Senator's Corellian Shuttle ship. He was stunned for a few moments until he realized the doors were closing. He walked into the hanger bay and walked up the ramp. He checked out the storage area where the Chev's body was located, verified that it was locked down and not going anywhere. He received word that his Whitecloak was now attached and they were ready to take off. The pilot asked the Jedi to kick his feet up and relax for a while.

The quarters on this ship were astronomically better than anything the Jedi Order had at its disposal. Trevor spied a huge bed in the middle of the main chamber. He took off his cloak, vest and shirt and set them on a chair near a vanity mirror. The chamber itself could have held two of Trevor's own bedrooms from the Temple. However, the size of the room was not what was interesting Trevor at the moment. The Jedi fell to the soft bed, closed his eyes and immediately fell into a dreamless sleep, exhaustion definitely winning this battle. 


	10. Chapter 10

p align"center">EMANCIPATION

_The fiery glow lit the chamber's interior with an eerie flicker, similar to a candle in a small room. The multi-layered rock formation normally gave the tall cloaked figure a top-down view of this mini-domain. However, his eyes were glued to the communicator display in his hand. The darkened screen caused a snarl to escape from his lips. The tentacles from his head reached down from the cowl that covered his features, not wanting to be hidden by any cloak. Disappointment filled the air around the bulky figure. He flexed his left hand, crushing the communicator into small bits without thinking. Realizing that the communicator was now useless, he tossed the remains across the cavern with the effort of the Force. He watched them sail through the air toward the molten lava, falling like metallic snow._

_"She was USELESS!", he bellowed his voice bouncing off of the sides of the chamber. Pieces of slate and stone shook loose from their moorings, causing a slight dust cloud to rise on one side. "I know the ways of this Jedi. My revenge should have been complete with his defeat. My former Master would not have been able to handle his death. She should have won, but why did she not defeat him? I saw her defeat him in my vision. She was well trained and certainly motivated properly…" Anger boiled in his blood, leading him deeper into the Dark Side. The Force might have been an ally to both Jedi and Sith, but he knew he was better than either, no matter what his former Master thought. He walked back to his high-backed chair to think about this unfortunate turn of events. There had to be a way, there just had to be..._

Trevor awoke nearly fifteen hours later, more rested and refreshed than he had ever felt before. Battling battle droids on adrenaline alone was not good for one's physical or mental well being. But an innocent's life was in danger, even though his father had picked the life of a politician. Trevor was aware that some people chose their own life's work while other's lives chose them. His chronometer was on the right side bed stand, along with his utility belt and lightsaber. As he reached for the belt, a sudden thought flittered through him: A stranger had removed those items from her person. Trevor adjusted his sight and reached out with the Force for any additional life forms. He could feel the pilot's Force signature, as well as the copilot. He looked around the room, and E5 stood in the corner, standing guard. Trevor smiled at the droid, and a happy squeal emitted from the small audio synthesizer.

Trevor walked the corridors of the diplomatic starship. Most of his experiences had him traveling with the _Crystal Phoenix_ with Master Shudo. While the _Phoenix_ was certainly a ship of sleek design and speed, this ship was designed for comfort. He walked to the aft kitchenette, and opened the cooler unit. Inside were many different fruits, meats and cheeses. A throat cleared behind him, and Trevor adjusted his point of view. The ship's cook, someone Trevor had not noticed before, was standing there, arms crossed and a smile on his face.

"Master Jedi. I never thought that someone of your stature would stoop to pilfering a meal."

"Master Chef, it would seem that I am caught with my hand in the Corellian Red." Trevor straightened and faced the ample cook. Trevor reminded himself that he was just a guest on this ship, and it certainly was not the average Jedi transport.

"Name's Dex and I have been instructed to make you whatever meal you'd like during the trip. Compliments of Senator Essada. What would you like?"

Trevor was a bit taken aback by such courtesy, but realized that Essada was just trying to thank him in his own way. "Well," he hesitated, "do you have any Aldaraanian nerf steak? I have heard that it is quite good."

"Nerf steak? Of course I have it. Oron goes nowhere without it. I'd recommend some Kuati white vintage. I've got a good bottle here somewhere." Dex could be heard rummaging in the wine storage area. Trevor shook his head, and sat down at the counter. While dinner was being server, Trevor learned a few culinary tips from Dex, and Dex even learned a little history about the Jedi Order while preparing the meal. Trevor sat in rapture at the ease the lumbering cook at which he prepared the meal. Never breaking stride, or even slowing down his speech, Dex continued to talk and cook. It seemed to Trevor that maybe Dex was showing off just a little, but then again, when you are that proficient at something, showing off might be the only way that you can be recognized. He enjoyed the company and even invited Dex to sit with him during his meal. Initially, he refused, citing many different reasons that Trevor was sure had been given to Oron before. But Trevor simply said, "But I'm not him. Please, I'd be honored."

The pair sat for nearly three hours talking and laughing. Trevor stopped with one glass of the Kuati wine, while Dex abstained completely. However the pair could be heard laughing all the way into the pilot's cabin. Both pilots smiled and shook their heads in disbelief. They had never realized Jedi actually needed to laugh and be merry sometimes.

The remainder of the trip was uneventful, as Trevor enjoyed his journey back to Coruscant aboard Senator Essada's comfortable and spacious diplomatic Corellian starshuttle. His arrival seemed anticlimactic, but luxury was not his way of life. He looked forward to returning to his room and the rigors of Jedi life. He thanked Dex and the pilots for a smooth ride. He was actually glad to be off the ship when it landed in the Temple's docking bay. He debarked from the ship via the rear cargo hold. The repulsorsled with the body of the Chev Sith and the six battle droids was delivered to the Jedi Temple's analysis facilities. During a short waiting period while the analysis droids were gathering certain tools, Trevor reviewed the most recent manifests of the deliveries to the facility within the last couple of days. He noticed that Chief Boca had kept his promise to deliver the 'Drone' battle droid from Ord Mantell. Trevor left the pieces to the analysis droids, requesting that should anything be found, he should be contacted immediately. The droids agreed and Trevor walked out of the analysis room. He marched towards the nearest turbolift, figuring a report to the Council was certainly in order, and well overdue.

When he arrived at the Council Chambers, Adi Gallia was the only member in attendance in the Chambers. Her back was to Trevor, and he waited patiently for fifteen minutes at the door. Master Gallia turned and was surprised by his presence.

"Trevor, how long have you been standing there?"

"Not long, Master. I came to give my report on my recent missions."

"Certainly." And with that, Trevor gave greater detail to Master Gallia for nearly twenty minutes more. Gallia stood patiently, listening, nodding. She reached over for a datapad at one point, wrote something down and placed it inside her cloak when Trevor finished. "I am very glad to see that you were successful in your missions. Especially ones that took place back to back. You have grown quickly in recent months and I feel that many more missions will come your way." Master Gallia closed her eyes and concentrated. Trevor could feel her presence in the Force grow slightly.

"And I feel that you are currently rested and well fed?"

Trevor smirked and blushed slightly. "Yes, Master. Senator Essada requested that I take his personal diplomatic shuttle for the return trip. It was his way of thanking me without too much embarrassment. I am extremely humbled by his generosity. Of course, I don't think I could cook as well as his staff. I learned about preparing nerf steak, though" Trevor smiled widely. "My apologizes, Master."

"For what, Trevor? You did not ask for it, and I would actually like to taste some of your recipes when you have a chance to make them. For now, though, you may return to your quarters and studies as you see appropriately."

Trevor bowed to Gallia and turned from the room. He entered the turbolift and returned to his quarters. After changing his robes in the refresher, he received word from the analysis room via his com station. The Chev body contained a subcutaneous implant that seemed to be a beacon or tracking device of some kind. In comparison to the reports that had already been provided, the droid hypothesized that, should the implant be linked to the communicator that contained the three code words, and if the woman was indeed Talon, the TALON code word would certainly be in a different color. He thanked the droid for the report, and grabbed his lightsaber. For some reason, he seemed to think better after a workout. It seemed that, if she did have a com-beacon implanted, there was still another player in this game. And something told Trevor that things were going to get worse, not better.

Three weeks later, the droids and technicians had been able to recover a frustratingly small amount of information. None of the surviving components pointed to a specific manufacturer or point of origin, and the rest was an unrecognizable pile of slag. By the end of that week, Trevor was having some difficulty concealing his restlessness. His workouts became more intense, his face became a mask of neutrality.

A reprieve came without warning when Trevor was suddenly summoned from lightsaber training exercises to the Council Chambers. He arrived to find the full council assembled with Master Shudo Laan standing in attendance. Master Windu quickly brought Trevor up to date.

"We have received a priority update from Master Oomaal on the planet Ryloth with regards to her mission there. She mentioned each of you by name."

Trevor and the others watched as Windu stood and walked towards a communications station rising from behind his chair. He entered in a code to replay the holographic message. The translucent blue image of Kura Oomaal stood before them, her normally serene features tinged with a touch of urgency, though her voice remained calm.

"Masters, Nawara and I have successfully infiltrated the Rylothian slaver's fortress. I have included a set of data files regarding the complex and its master, Silais (pronounced Si-LAY-us) Torr. We are prepared to move against the slavers and put an end to their operation, but security is stronger than we had anticipated. The slaves' tracking devices can only be deactivated from Torr's personal starship, but we are unable to safely access the hanger bay or remove the devices ourselves. I believe that with the proper assistance and diversion, we will be able to facilitate the release of the slaves and capture the operation's leaders." Master Windu handed Trevor and Shudo each a set of datacards bearing Master Oomaal's data files as her holographic image continued to speak.

"My masters, I ask your permission to call Master Shudo Laan and Knight Trevor Gul'dan to Ryloth. I believe that Master Shudo's familiarity with my tactics will allow him to adapt to any necessary changes in the plan while disabling hanger security and deactivating the tracking devices. I also believe that Trevor's recent successes in the field indicate that he will be able to engage in a diversionary assault on fortress security with minimal personal risk. I estimate that there are currently sixty trained guards stationed at the fortress, operating in teams of five to ten. They are well-armed and loyal to their masters, but would pose no real threat to an experienced Jedi."

The holographic Kura turned and looked over her shoulder, as if listening to a distant noise, then continued in a hushed and hurried voice.

"I have already taken too much time here. I must go before I arouse suspicion. Please inform me of your decision using this coded frequency."

The image dissolved, and Windu turned to Master Shudo.

"I understand that the _Crystal Phoenix_ is already refueled and fully stocked."

Shudo nodded confidently as Mace turned his gaze on Trevor.

"How soon can you be ready?" he asked.

Trevor replied, "I will meet Master Shudo at the _Phoenix_ in ten minutes. I would like to have E5 and Whitecloak 17 docked with the _Phoenix_ as well." Windu nodded, and the pair bowed to the Council, and turned directly towards the turbolift. Shudo and Trevor made small talk towards the turbolift. Trevor contacted E5 and asked him to launch the Whitecloak into orbit and prepare for docking with the _Crystal Phoenix_. Trevor also instructed E5 not to wait for him as he would travel this time with Master Shudo. Yellow spots popped up on Shudo's crest, and Trevor smiled right away.

"You know, Master. It has been a few months since we last took part in a mission together."

"Yes, it has, Trevor. I have been watching your progress rather closely, even though I have not taken direct involvement with you. I am glad to see that you are doing well and able to handle yourself." The lift stopped on Trevor's floor. "I will meet you onboard."

Trevor nodded and bowed as he left the lift. He raced for his room and quickly packed his 'mission bag', a simple pack containing items he'd picked up along the way such as a breath mask and goggles from Ord Mantell, eletrobinoculars from Umgul and his change of clothes from both missions. He still wore his own lightsaber, but decided to add his all-weather cloak to his belongings. The cloak was getting a bit frayed at the edges. He quickly locked his room, and headed towards the hanger bay.

Upon his arrival, the _Phoenix_ was already in pre-launch sequence and nearly ready to take off. Trevor boarded, walked towards the rear galley and strapped in. The _Phoenix_ rose from the docking bay and lifted through the Coruscant sky. Three minutes later, Trevor heard the docking sequence finish and knew that E5 was now on board. He took the time to now study the data files that Master Oomaal had sent to the Council.

The first datafile contained a picture and information regarding Silais Torr. The picture on the left side of the screen showed a nearly albino Twi'lek with his head tails draped across the picture. The slug like head filled the entire portrait. What Trevor noted were his eyes. The bright green eyes made Trevor wince at the near callous disregard for life. The clothing seemed a bit elegant for a slaver, but Trevor figured that he had other lines of income. Reading the datafile confirmed it:

-DATAFILE-

SILAIS TORR

This twi'lek is a known dealer of black-market goods, weapons, slaves and illegal exotic animals. He has been identified as the head of a fast-growing slave trade organization responsible for the abduction of hundreds of native twi'leks from the planet Ryloth in the Outer Rim. Surveillance by Jedi Master Kura Oomaal has revealed that Torr is currently operating out of a remote complex on Ryloth.

The next data file showed a detailed schematic of Torr's facility. Three towers stood out of the ground, with large turbines on the top which seemed to be used as an power supply for the entire facility. Each of the towers had doors that led below ground level. Trevor realized that he knew nothing of Ryloth's climate or terrain. He placed the schematic down to study later and began to study Ryloth's planetary information.

Ryloth, according to the Phoenix's computer system, was a terrestrial planet that was tidal-locked with the sun. One side of the planet was constantly bombarded by light from the sun burning away at the mountainous landscape while the opposite side froze under mounds of ice and snow. The only habitable place was a temperate zone which separated the two extremes. Dangers still existed as firestorms and sudden icy blasts of air swept across the planet. Native Twi'leks had adapted to the everchanging climate by building their cities underground. Only the towering wind-turbines and watch posts are exposed to the surface. Trevor never realized how inhospitable a planet could be until he read the almanac for Ryloth. Tatooine was always hot during the daylight hours, but at least at night, it cooled off. Ryloth was a good place for Torr's fortress because no one would ever see him.

Moments later, he picked up the schematics of the slaver's fortress. Knowing that his mission was both simple and complex at the same time, he decided to keep the plan simple. Master Oomaal wanted him to be a distraction and deal with the fortress security. Any one of the guards inside could get a luck shot and kill him right away. The Force moved in mysterious ways so he thought to take the fight to them instead of the reverse. Trevor thought about all his recent missions, especially those where slavers had been involved. The Brentaal and Tatooine missions were more like reconnaissance missions with the benefit of rescuing nearly sixty slaves. The possibility existed that someone might remember Trevor's description. _A white lightsaber is a terrible calling call for a Jedi_, Trevor realized, _but on the other hand, what is the objective here? I am supposed to be a distraction._

He continued to mull over his options as Shudo walked into the cabin where Trevor was concentrating on the problem at hand. Shudo watched his former padawan closely and actually smiled upon seeing the Miraluka working on a problem more diligently than he'd ever remembered. _But then again, he's been through some pretty hair raising things lately. That would certainly age you appropriately,_ he thought. Trevor turned slightly and caught Shudo's figure standing in the doorway. He turned his face towards his Master and smirked.

"Still like sneaking up on your padawan, eh, Master Shudo?"

"I need to keep in practice. The apartment is rather quiet now, you know. Old habits die hard, and I am not exactly young, you know."

Trevor's face broke out a smile. "Really? I only thought you were a few years younger than Yoda."

The pair shared a hearty laugh and talked shop for the rest of the day. Shudo talked about some of the planets he'd been on recently. Trevor did not push Shudo when it came to details, but he knew that the Council would keep him busy. Trevor recited some of the details of his missions, not that he was trying to brag, but to talk to his Master with insight on certain problems. The two talked about missions, interesting sites on planet, and even an old gossip or two. The pair shared the ship for two days before Trevor broached the subject of the upcoming mission.

"I was thinking about the upcoming mission. Master Oomaal has been following this slaver for quite some time. I know about four months ago we went on the mission to Brentaal, and then I had a separate mission about six weeks ago to Tatooine. If anyone had seen me and reported back to Torr, I am going to be well know. It would make for a good distraction for me to walk into the front door of this tower," he said, pointing to the northern most of the three towers. The towers were placed on three corners of the facility. The tower Trevor pointed to lead to the inner section of the fortress at one access point, as well as directly towards the hanger bay. "This way, I can block all access to the hanger bay for you, and no one will get in. What do you think?"

Shudo regarded his copy of the fortress schematics. He studied it for a few minutes while Trevor waited. He shook his head slightly, and looked up with just his eyes staring across the room. His large head continued to point towards his datapad.

"There are guard posts, according to this schematic, at the entrance to every egress point, except the hanger bay. If I enter here, I can keep everyone out of the way, and keep the path clear for when we free the slaves."

The Anx Jedi listened to his padawan carefully. He had immediately thrown the plan out due to the brashness of the plan, but there was a good understanding of the underlying mission. "I can see where this plan would be effective, and the only suggestion that I have would be not enter there, but rather at the furthest point away." Shudo pointed to the lower right corner of the datapad where a third tower was located. "It would be far enough away from the main engagement to cause them not to look over there."

Trevor regarded the schematic with a concerned look on his face. He respected his Master's opinion, but his mind wandered to the time back on Alderaan when he nearly died, or even on Ord Mantell. Was he really ready to be this much on the front line?

Shudo saw his padawan musing and interrupted. "It would seem to me that as of recently days, you have proved yourself extremely capable with a lightsaber. Kura would not ask you to assist on this mission if she thought otherwise."

Trevor's head jerked upwards. Shudo never lavished praise very much during his novitiate. He was a stern Master, but cautious as to what steps Trevor would have taken next. He looked at Shudo differently when he realized what his Master was doing.

"Master, I was wondering. What is Master Oomaal like?"

Shudo nodded and smiled. "If you think I am cautious, she is even more so. She is analytical and able to see multiple points of view at the same time. It is a trait that I have been working years to perfect, but have not been able to master yet." A faraway look in his eyes, remembering some part of his past. Trevor continued to study the fortress layout.

"I'd like to take the evening to think about your plan, Master, if you don't mind."

"Go right ahead. I have some items I need to ready myself. When you are hungry, the galley is fully stocked. I don't have any Aldarian nerf steaks, but feel free nonetheless to make us a meal." Trevor smiled at Shudo and continued to study the map, working out possibilities of attack routes, force strengths and possible areas for ambush.

"I'll make sure it is something edible, Master."

Trevor took the evening to think about what Shudo suggested, and the Jedi Master's suggestion seemed to make the best logical choice. Even though Trevor felt strongly about his plan, he was smart enough to keep his pride in check and review all options again before deciding on a course of action. Going on towards Standard evening time, Trevor walked into the galley and began to prepare a meal that he knew Shudo would like. He prepared the meal for nearly thirty standard minutes, causing a hungry Shudo to be drawn into the gallery about the same time that the meal was completed. No words were spoken out loud between Master and padawan. The pair had been together for so long that words seemed to be unnecessary during meals. They ate silently, each enjoying the hum of the hyperdrive and the silence of space. As they cleaned up their dishes from the meal, Trevor broke the stillness.

"I reviewed all the options again, Master. You were right, the farthest tower from the hanger does make the best sense. However, I'm going to have to employ some untested saber maneuvers."

"Trevor, I am sure that you will be fine. You are a Jedi Knight, and one who has progress rapidly. I am sure that your skills will not be a match for them. But remember, do not take their life, unless threatened."

The Miraluka nodded, realizing that in all the planning, he never figured on the cost of lives. "I will do my best to keep the number of casualties down."

"Make sure that if you leave an enemy down, he cannot hit you from behind. Most of them will probably have blasters, so they only know how to shoot with one hand."

"Master, how much time do you need before I begin the distraction? That is one part that I missed in our earlier briefing."

"Good thinking. We will have to split up, as I am sure that you surmised." Shudo looked at Ryloth and did some quick calculations. "It will take about an hour for me to get into position. Have you considered how you will get into the facility?"

Trevor raised his face up from the table. "I'm still going to walk in the front door. That part still makes the most sense. I don't see any other course of action. That is the best one that makes sense for this mission. I am a distraction this time. I am going to be up front, to a point. It's not like I am going to walk up to the door and say, 'I am a Jedi, let me in.' " Trevor waved his hands from side to side, causing Shudo to laugh uncontrollably. "That part just doesn't make any sense other than in the front door."

Shudo nodded his head. "I agree. It does seem to be the only way. But be careful, padawan."

Trevor just looked at his master with a _who-me?_ Attitude. Shudo shook his head, and his crest became a bright beacon of yellow, with streaks of purple.

Kla Voir walked the corridor with the practice ease of someone who was completely bored. He had walked down the slaves quarters nearly fifty times this shift. The Nikto swung his arms lazily at his side, and turned quickly and drew his weapon to fend off an invisible enemy. He grunted to himself, practicing quick-draws a few more times in practice, thinking himself getting faster and faster with each motion. Each of the cells in this particular corridor got bored with watching him all the time. All, that is, except one. She was a purple skinned twi'lek who constantly wore a headpiece which gave the appearance of a second set of head tails. The slave master liked this one more than the others, so she was allowed to keep her headdress when everyone else wore rags. Nawara adjusted her position so she could keep an eye on the Nikto guard and watch his motions, gathering intelligence for when the time came. Master Oomaal had let her know that her friend Trevor was on his way with Master Shudo to free the slaves. Her mission had been a long tortuous journey. However, she was glad to hear that a clan mate was helping her escape. She didn't think she'd be able to take care of the guards on her own.

The destination klaxon was blaring as Trevor and E5 entered the Whitecloak for the final time this mission. Shudo and Trevor worked out an additional distraction that would certainly bend the scales in their favor. Not wanting to take any chances, Trevor doubled checked his armament and found that the Whitecloak was fully stocked and ready to go. E5 whistled to the Jedi and he maneuvered himself into position, upside down from the relative position of the _Crystal Phoenix_. Moments after settling in, starlines became dots and the planet of Ryloth filled the viewscreen.

Shudo's voice came in over the ship-to-ship intercom. "Remember Trevor, I need one hour from when you land to get into position. Don't be late."

"I don't plan to be, Master. May the Force be with you."

Shudo signed off similarly and the intercom went quiet. A separation light blinked on Trevor's console, giving him the signal to separate from the _Phoenix._ He released the ship and followed Shudo down toward the planet. E5 was ready to take over, but the flight down through the atmosphere was rather uneventful this time. Compared to the flight down on Ilum, this was a breeze. Trevor actually took time to look at the landscape as it zoomed past.

The 'hot' side of the planet was a barren wasteland of burnt rock and sand. Crags of melted rock could be seen everywhere. Firestorms were avoided at all costs and the starships navigated the planet's atmosphere with precision. Trevor flew under the Phoenix's shadow as often as possible to prevent any sort of overheating to his own meager air recyclers. The shielding of the Phoenix gave it much greater protection against the heat. Trevor looked out and navigated towards the temperate area of the planet, running a more easterly course than before. The navigation program E5 ran to allow them to plot a course to the fortress bleeped, causing E5 to translate the code to something that Trevor could read.

"Good. We are still on course. Amazing how dynamic this world is. How can the twi'leks deal with this on a day to day basis?" Trevor's voice trailed off, thinking about the history of the Miraluka. His homeworld was under constant radiation, which cause the blindness of his peoples, until they realized that there was another way to see. "Well, I guess I know how they could live with it… E5, how much longer?"

E5 warbled back that they were ten minutes from the separation point. Trevor flew the Whitecloak alongside the Phoenix's bridge, flashed his navigation lights three times, the signal that he would be leaving the formation. Shudo flashed the cabin lights twice, the affirmative response. As Trevor started to turn away, a calming presense invaded his mind. Trevor soaked in those feelings, knowing that Shudo was always close by. Trevor followed the telepathic path back to his Master, and in his mind's eye, winked. The link closed shortly after that, with a slight humor tint. Trevor shook his head, and turned to the task at hand. He reviewed the land masses around the fortress. Knowing that he had just over an hour to get into position, he wanted to find a place to land under five kilometers away. He figured that with the rough terrain, he'd have better luck being on time if he was under that distance. E5 was reviewing the terrain map when he gave Trevor a warning that they were nearing the drop zone.

He pulled back gently on the stick to get a better view of the area. He came into this area with the sun on his backside, covering up any flashing with the sun's light. He found a open area at the bottom of a foot hill to the mountains that surrounded the fortress. He landed softly and immediately unfastened the harness that held him in place and shut down all non-essential power, leaving E5 essentially in command. He grabbed his cloak, fastened his lightsaber to his utility belt, and opened the cockpit. The wind was moving at a decent pace, but not overly strong. Trevor wound his cape around his neck, and lifted the cowl. He placed a set of goggles over his eyepatch to confusing the casual observance. He also grabbed his breathmask from Ord Mantell and placed it over his mouth. _No sense in taking any chances._ A spare breathing tank was stowed under the pilot's seat. Trevor grabbed it, connected it to his mask, and placed it over his head. After adjusting the breather properly, Trevor gave E5 his last instructions.

"Now, you have forty five minutes before you lift off. After that, you should reach the fortress about the same time I am inside. Once you take off, take care of the two turbines on the towers we discussed. The second and third towers should to do the trick. Just make sure I'm inside before you start blowing up the third tower, okay?"

E5 whistled, beeped and whirled so hard Trevor had a hard time keeping up.

"Look, let's sync our chronometers. We have about fifty minutes left before Shudo is in position so let's do this right. He's expecting us to be there. Let's not let him down."

E5 gave a mournful whistle, and Trevor nodded.

"May the Force be with you, E5." With that, he closed the canopy, and turned due west, towards the fortress.

_The Phoenix landed a bit closer to the fortress than Shudo would have liked but he did not want to risk being late. Trevor had a knack for being on time for most things, and he certainly did not want to be shown up at this point. _

_The tall Anx was bent over as he neared the hanger bay. Two guards stood outside, ambling along without a care in the world. They appeared to be Klatooinan and not very good. Shudo raised his hand slightly, and concentrated on the pair. First one, then the other, yawned and stretched their arms. As they did so, Shudo put an image of a soft bed into their minds, and the two fell down, fully asleep. Shudo closed his eyes, and concentrated for any more life forms in the near vicinity and was rewarded with only one other life form. It looks like they are not expecting us. Let's hope that Trevor runs into the same light resistance. _

The tall turbine tower grew from the sand dune like a giant snake grasping for its next unsuspecting meal. As Trevor got closer, it loomed like a spire from the Coruscant residential district. This spire was, however, much different as it sported scorch marks all around the metal. Trevor looked at it, and realized that this metal was used for constructing these kinds of towers in these conditions because of the hot environment. It cooled rapidly, yet in cold weather it could heat quickly as well. Trevor approached the tower as if he had already been there once before. The winds whipped around his head, and the thought he heard the word _Jedi_ uttered by one of the guards who had been watching him for a while.

He leaned his head down to cover his face from the wind, also giving himself a chance to get to the main doors without being stopped. Some might have gotten a good look at his waist and seen a lightsaber. He was too close now to allow that to happen. He reached the main doors without further incident and pressed an announcement button on the side of the doors. One of the doors opened, and a protocol droid walked out, surprising Trevor slightly.

"Good day, what is your business?" the mechanical voice questioned in Huttese.

"I would like to speak to the master of this establishment," replied Trevor in the same dialect.

"Whom is it that is calling."

Trevor's mind raced. He only had a couple of seconds to respond. "A fellow businessman from Brentaal," was the response that finally emerged.

"Thank you," replied the tinny voice. The droid ushered him inside the doors, and Trevor knew that the mission was really beginning. The droid led him down a short corridor, maybe twenty meters long, where another set of doors was imbedded into the wall. The protocol droid was nonresponsive to any inquiries as a soft rumble could be heard from the other side. Trevor poked his vision through the doors and realized immediately that he should have expected a turblolift somewhere near the entrance. Trevor realized that he'd been holding his breath, so he exhaled slowly, running through a Jedi calming technique to relax his muscles and to feel the Force flowing through him.

The doors of the turbolift slid to the side, allowing entrance inside. The small lift had a rail around the middle and a pair of buttons near the door. The droid pushed the bottom button and the doors slid closed. Trevor loosened his cloak to allow for better access to his lightsaber. The droid continued its communication silence, which he greatly appreciated. The lift increased speed so much that Trevor had to hold the railing. He calculated the depth of the fortress under the ground and nodded at the distinct advantage having only three entrances to an underground fortress. The weather on the surface could filter through the upper levels, causing problems down below, so it make a certain amount of sense to be this deep.

Moments later, the turbolift slowed its decent and came to a stop. The doors opened into a fairly large room. The droid stepped out into the room with the Jedi in tow. Trevor removed the cowl of his cloak from around his head and looked around. The room was longer than it was wide and contained a few tables and chairs. What concerned him the most was the ten around the room. Most of the guards consisted of Nikto, Klatooinans, and Weequays. The closest guard, a Klatooinan, stood up and looked Trevor over with a nasty sneer on his face.

"What do _you_ want?" he grumbled, his blaster held loosely in his hand.

"I would like to talk to your master." Trevor took a quick moment to survey the room. Each of the guards had a vibroblade in a sheath, but four of the guards has laser rifles, very good models by the look of them.

The guard nodded, "Oh, and what do you want to talk to him about?"

Trevor's mental clock realized that there was only a few minutes left until E5 would begin his attack run on the towers. Trevor shrugged his shoulders, dropping the cloak to the ground. His right hand grasped his lightsaber from his belt, and held it point down and just to his right, extinguished but ready for action.

"I came to apprehend him for his involvement of slave trading." His body relaxed, giving him a clear view of the situation. The first guard's face did not change, but two of the rear guards believed that the Jedi was not ready. They immediately tried to take down the Jedi first. They raised their laser rifles as if to fire on him. The first guard, shaking his head at such an easy target, lunged before anyone else could react.

Unfortunately, Trevor had expected such a move and ignited his lightsaber milliseconds before the guard could leave his position. The vibroblade never cleared the sheath as the first guard's head clanged to the floor. The crystal blade hummed throughout the room. Time seemed to slow down for the Jedi as he saw the entire room from a detached point of view. His blade reversed course as it exited the first guard, and a second guard's eyes started to grow large in anticipation and fear. The guard's weapon of choice was a vibroblade, a high-tech sword with a sharp vibrating edge. A second guard was able to swing at Trevor. He was able to inadvertently slice off the tip of the blade, but not before a quick step backward gave him a bit of an gap between each other. A third and fourth attempted to slash their blades in his direction, but to no avail. His training taking over, Trevor realized that these men, though trained well, could not be a match for someone as learned as he in the art of swordfighting. The years in repetitive training came in handy here. With multiple attackers, Trevor kept his ligthsaber in constant motion to keep all of them at arm's length. The second guard tried to step into the deadly arc of the saber, and Trevor clipped him across the shoulders, without even turning his head. A whispering brush of cloth on cloth gave Trevor an indication of where his next attacker would be coming from. The blade nearly moved of it's own accord. Trevor kept his arm moving from the previous swipe and brought the blade straight over his head, spun on his toes to bisect another guard vertically. Two more advanced on the saber-weilding Jedi. They tried to slash across the body, but the only thing they connected with was the Jedi's weapon. Trevor was certainly taking off more of their weapons each time they attacked. The rear guards were able to get a few shots off, but Trevor easily blocked them, even causing one laser bolt to be rebounded directly back to the attacker's head, flying back into the far wall. The crystal blade crackled with energy as another pair of guards fell under Trevor's casual swinging of the blade. Killing these guards did not give Trevor any pleasure. But Trevor knew that he did not have to kill all the guards. The next two guards advanced on Trevor, and he responded by starting his swing high. Both guards instinctively moved forward, but Trevor immediately dropped to one knee, swinging his blade across the upper thighs. The shock of losing both legs caused each guard to fall face first, completely out of the fight. The guards remained, two with blasters and one with another vibroblade. The first blaster-bearing guard shot at Trevor and received his own shot right into the chest. The guard was thrown back against the side wall, dropping the weapon. The blade-weilder walked in and tried to feint. Unfortunately, Trevor advanced too quick and slashed off the left leg. The blade clattered to the ground, and the guard immediately grabbed his leg in pain. Trevor attempted the final guard, but he jumped back out of harm's way. Another shot rang out, but only took out a light source. Trevor swung wildly at the guard, barely clipping the guard's tunic. The guard was certainly not ready for an immediate counter attack. The body slid down the wall, unconscious from blood loss.

Now that the guards were dispatched, Trevor spend a few moments searching the room. What he did not realize was that, while he was systematically dispensing the guards, someone was watching the entire affair…

The viewscreen showed the action dispassionately to the large twi'lek. He took no pleasure in the carnage that this blind man was causing. In fact, his face changed from pink to red to maroon as the battle raged on. As he looked at the 'blind man' he realized that the head never turned towards his target, always looking straight ahead. Silais Torr's forehead bore beads of sweat as the Jedi dismantled the guards in the main foyer. "No, no, no" was the montage that he kept repeating as each guard fell under the blade of the swordsman. "This is impossible, how could one man take on so many?" he whispered. "Send in the next detachment, quickly!" he ordered into his comlink. A feeble response was scarcely heard as Torr concentrated on the screen. Unbeknownst to Torr, an other viewscreen showed his ship being boarded by a large cloaked figure bearing a blue lightsaber. Torr's only interest was the screen he was hunched over at the time. The Jedi on the screen deactivated his blade, casually picked up his cloak, and proceeded to search the entire room. 

The lust for battle remained in his mouth, but not his soul. Killing the guards was necessary, but not wanted. Trevor knew that these guards would have killed him in an instant and was surprised to find that he respected each of the guards for doing their jobs. He searched the room and found a couple of data cards as well as two code cylinders, high security keys. One cylinder had a single dot while the other contained two dots. Each of these keys would work, probably, but only on the doors in this room.

Suddenly, the sound of the turbolift returning jolted Trevor into action. He took the single-dot key and placed it in the slot where he entered just moments before. Upon turning the cylinder counterclockwise, he could hear the distinctive _bing-bong_ of the locking mechanism giving an affirmative response. He pulled the key out and proceeded into the next room. _I've started this run, let's see where this lead me._ He never increased his speed, never moved his head while looking around. He seemed to be either a man possessed, or a very good android. The guard post had only two doors, one leading out another to the west that lead to a circular room. This second room also had a western door. Movement could be heard coming from the second entrance. _Time for more distractions,_ Trevor mused. He ignited his blade, and dropped his cloak one more time.

The room was round and ornate. Many ancient weapons and art could be seen on the surrounding walls. The paintings were of different styles and Trevor merely glanced at them. Some of the weapons were interesting, but the statue in the middle was the most impressive. The carving of some sort of beast was nearly as tall as the domed ceiling. The ornate door on the opposite end of the room was guilded with some sort of expensive metal. Trevor shook his head as the door opened, guards spilling into the area. Most of them had blaster pistols ready and they split up into the room, trying to surround the Jedi. As the last guard entered the room, a deep reverberation was felt throughout the complex. Trevor smiled as the lights flickered knowing that E5 had finished his attack run on the turrets. Four of the guards fired at Trevor blindly. The Jedi swung his blade in a circular pattern in front of his torso, causing two of the bolts to return to their original locations. Smoke billowed forth from the chests of both guards as they fell backwards. Trevor's momentum from walking into the room took him directly into the middle of the fray. Four guards lined up next to the statue, and Trevor discovered an opportunity. He bunched his legs, and jumped directly at the statue, raising his lightsaber straight up, dropping a guard who had ventured into Trevor's kill zone. The Jedi's jump elevated him to the waist of the statue. He pushed off with his foot, and spun himself around, lightsaber outstretched. The blade sang with energy as his rotation increased slightly. Trevor's vision blurred slightly, as he got slightly disoriented. When he landed on his feet, the bodies of three guards, sliced in half, were strewn around him. When Trevor's vision stabilized, he noticed for the first time that small holocams were located around the room. Trevor cocked his head to one side, and tried to imagine the look on Torr's face, if he was watching.

_Torr's normally pale faced lightened so much that his aide thought he might faint. The large twi'lek whispered softly, "I know him" over and over again. The aide leaned over Torr's shoulder._

_"Master Torr. What should we do about this?"_

_Torr's color returned slightly. "I think it is time to meet this . . . Jedi," he spat. "I've had enough of this cat-and-mouse." The large twi'lek stood up from the security station, and walked out towards the hallway leading to a large open chamber. The unique construction of this chamber was obvious by the large tree located directly in the middle. Torr had purchased this tree especially for this garden. It was certainly rare for any vegetation to grow on Ryloth, but this tree seemed to flourish in the dank conditions. Rarely did Torr water it, and he did not think it odd. Torr sat down on the base wall of the tree and thought about the Jedi's skills and how he could counteract it…_

The remants of the battle was anticlimactic. The remaining guards had no morale to fight this Jedi, and their aim was definitely off. Trevor deflected as many shots as he could, and killed the remaining guards through their own fire and lightsaber swipes. The last guard only lost his hands but did not pass out from loss of blood. However, the shock of the loss definitely incapacitated him. Trevor disengaged his lightsaber, returned it to his belt, and assisted the guard to the ground. He searched all ten bodies for additional cylinders and found one with three dots on it. Trevor tried to use the first key, but was balked by the lock. He tried the second key and was rewarded with a _swoop_ of the opening of the door. The hallway was not lit completely, as the power levels dropped beyond the ability for the lights to illuminate. Trevor adjusted his vision to compensate for the lack of light. The hallway was clear of any guards, so he proceeded the length of the corridor casually. He'd left his cloak behind, but he did not want to stop now. He was on his course now, and the advantage was still his. Surprise was out the door, but Torr was sure to be sending more at him. Trevor spied more holocams down the corridors.

He approached a small anteroom that seemed to be a waiting area or a parlor of some sort. The room had benches built into the walls and more exotic art lined the walls. The rooms seemed much smaller than the previous two rooms, but no additional guard detachment was here to meet him. The hallway continued on into a more traditional narrow alleyway into a room that resembled a dining hall. Here four tables with benches around each side were evenly spaced apart. Chairs headed each table, and there seemed to be only enough for two-thirds of the guard's strength, if Master Oomaal's intelligence was to be believed. So far, she had been right. _I wonder how she got her intelligence so accurate,_" Trevor mused. He walked to the opposite end of the dining area, and sauntered down a thirty foot corridor into wide corridor. Directly across from him was a door leading to another section of the complex. Trevor reviewed the fortress' floor plans in his head, and realized that this was the meeting room near Torr's audience chamber. He turned around, locked the door behind him and started to walk across the room, when a movement caught his eye.

The holovid of the large pasty white twi'lek was surprising accurate. Instead of him seeming to be nearly 560 kilograms, the holocam took off nearly 100 kilos. The bulbous figure stood to Trevor's right, blocking the entrance to the audience chamber, and Torr's residence.

"Trevor Gul'dan." The sickly voice wafted down the corridor like the stench of a garbage compactor. "You've become quite a nuisance."

"I tried, Silais." He tried to sound casual in his remarks, and surprisingly to his own ears, it sounded like he kept his surprise under control.

The gelatinous figure sneered at the Miraluka Jedi. His long fingers, accentuated by the elongated fingernails, flexed in front of the large belly. "Well. You think you are ready for me?"

Trevor looked at the ornately clad twi'lek. Torr's body language gave no indication of what was going on his mind, but Trevor detected a bit of consternation emitting from Torr's aura. _So far, so good. But something is not right._ Trevor looked at the large twi'lek, immediately getting an image of a Hutt lording over his criminal domain. But that did not seem quite right, either. There was something more shifty to him. Maybe the eyes were smaller.

Trevor was unsure of his next move. He stood at the other end of the hall the large twi'lek, and decided to take a moment to try communicating with Shudo. He concentrated, give Shudo a quick telepathic message: _Silais is confronting me._

Shudo was inside Silais' ship after taking out a squad of guards along the way. He found the controls for the tracking devices known to be embedded in the skin of all the slaves. He began to disassemble his toolkit, when Trevor's message reached him. _Silais is confronting me._ Shudo took a small moment, concentrated on the Force. After only three seconds, Shudo sent back a cryptic, but consice message.

_Desperate. Bluffing. More time._

Trevor received the phrases, thought about the current situation. After making some quick calculations, realizing that half of Silais' guard force was out of commission. Shudo needed more time to deal with the control module, he was sure. Silais was shaking his head, and staring to turn away. Trevor took a step forward to give Silais as little time as possible to react. The lights in the room made it difficult to see, but Trevor continued to walk confidently across the room. Torr, realizing that the Jedi had indeed decided to confront him. He reached into his cloak, took out a metallic tube and made to depress a button on the upper side. Trevor stopped, thinking that a lightsaber was about to be ignited. That pause gave Silais the time he needed to activate the large trap door directly under Trevor's feet. The sudden drop surprised the Jedi. He tried to grasp the edge of the door, but was already sliding past the doors. The last glimpse of Torr he got was of smug satisfaction. He immediately turned his vision down, trying to get re-oriented to the ground. He gathered the Force around him, trying to slow his fall. Not knowing how deep this pit was, or even what was in it, caused minor panic to fill Trevor's throat. His vision was adjusting to the dark slower than he wanted, but was able to make out ripples in what appeared to be water about ten meters below. When he hit the liquid, he sank to his shoulders in dank rancid water. The dark seemed to be creeping in on all sides as the trap door could be heard closing. Trevor envisioned Torr's gloating face as the darkness encased the room.

Trevor waited until his vision adjusted to the darkness. The cavern was nearly the size of a small freighter's cargo area. It was only eight meters high, and forty meters at the widest point. Even though the water only came up to his shoulders, it gave him an really bad feeling that something was down here. Reviewing the information in Torr's datafile, any manner of exotic creature could be down in a cave such as this. He maneuvered his vision around the cavern to find a flat outcropping nearby. He moved towards it, wanting to get out of the water. As he began to turn around, a movement in the water caught his attention. A bulge in the water gave the impression of moving. Upon confirmation of that theory, he ignited his lightsaber under the water, giving the object something to concentrate on, besides his own flesh. The water around the submerged blade boiled instantly. _Well, I'm not going down without a fight_. Trevor swam over to the outcropping, which was the beginning of an alcove that had missed his scrutiny before. He walked towards it. There was definitely something coming towards him as the movement veered around him. As Trevor exited the water, a large wall of grey-white flesh cobbled with pebbles on part, and smooth on the rest, erupted from just under the surface, spraying the entire cavern with murky water. Trevor wondered what kind of monster would like this kind of home. The creature Torr had picked for this home was a Dagobah swamp snake, a humongous creature nearly twenty meters in length. This creature would normally thrive on it's home planet feeding on other creatures who were not fast enough to get out of it's way. On this strange planet, however, the meals were dropped from the light area above.

Trevor maneuvered his lightsaber into a defensive stance, not knowing how fast this slug moved. As it lashed out for a quick bite, Trevor moved to one side of the rocky ledge, avoiding the layers of teeth he'd seen. When the snake smacked into the back wall of the alcove he was standing in front of, the wet slap of flesh could not quite cover the lanced out to grab its meal, the light seemed to sink into its doughy flesh, causing extreme pain. The creature reared up, roaring in agony. The meal was getting away from him, and he did not appreciate the fact that this meal would fight for its life.

Trevor jumped out of the way as the creature backed away, lightsaber ready for the next attack. The slug-like creature approached again, quicker this time trying to get at its meal. The Jedi stepped against the side wall of the alcove, keeping himself on the ledge, but out of harms way. The monster's momentum carried him into the back wall, giving Trevor plenty of time to embed his saber into the creature's side. He nearly made a complete symbol in the creature's hide before it retracted from the wall. Yellow ooze slid down the creatures body where the lightsaber had rent the flesh apart. The creature looked down and decided that no meal was worth this much work. It dove into the water away from the alcove. Trevor watched the creature slide into the water, leaving its entrails in the depths of the water.

As the creature growled in retreat, Trevor discerned a louder noise coming from above him. He adjusted his vision, and noticed that the doors above him seemed to be moving, as if two giants were trying to lift the doors with invisible crowbars. Unsure of what to do, he moved his vision from the base of the cavern to the main hall above. The doors continued to lift in opposition of its normal direction. However, there was no one in the room. He continued to traverse the area, noting that Torr walking towards the hallway again, investigating the metallic creaking emanating from the corridor. Trevor reset his vision back to himself to get a better view of what was happening. The door directly above Trevor opened enough to allow him to possibly jump through it. He gather the Force around him, and jumped straight up. He landed on the opposite trap door. The open door behind him dropped suddenly, bouncing on its hinges. Trevor felt a slight disturbance in the Force. The disturbance seemed somewhat familiar, yet very different. A sudden insight gave Trevor a clue as to who it might be. He ignited his saber and gave a Jedi salute to his unknown benefactor, giving notice that he appreciated the assist.

Shouting could be heard ahead in the main corridor. Trevor could not make out the words, but he got the distinct impression that Torr was not happy to see the Jedi again. _He does not know that I did not open those doors,_ Trevor thought. _Interesting. He's overestimated the strength of the Jedi in his stronghold._ Footsteps could heard from the other room. Trevor moved his vision into the circular audience chamber, noting the large tree in the middle and the multiple mercenaries flooding the chamber. He counted fifteen individuals heading towards the corridor. He stood back from the door, to give himself plenty of room to maneuver. Ten guards flooded in, most with blaster pistols blazing. The Miraluka dodged two laser shots, and deflect three back into the bodies of the attackers. Two additional mercenaries moved forward into the lightsaber's arc, and never stood up again. Four of the others laced fire at him, but nothing got through his defenses. Trevor felt that his training excercises were not match for the real thing. He felt the Force flowing through him, giving him added defensive energies. He felt sorrow at the deaths of these warriors, but their job was similar to his: fight or die. He continued to battle the remainder of the group, giving two more a shortened lifecycle. Three more continued to do battle with him in the corridor. The two remaining continued to battle the Jedi. However, his skills were too much for them. He dispatched the one on his left, but the assailant on his right was spared, only losing his right arm. The shock of the loss was such that the guard dropped to his knees. The doors to the other room closed and he could hear the blast seals on the door lock it into place.

Trevor disengaged his blade, and helped the guard to one side of the room. He did not want the guard to suffer anymore indignities. He found an extra coat from another guard, covered him with it. "May the Force be with you, warrior. You fought well." He bowed his head slightly in respect and turned his face back toward the door; his next target. The thick doors stood in front of him, as if daring him to walk through walls. Trevor stood momentarily, reminding himself of story not too long ago of another Jedi, standing in front of blast doors similar to these, and nearly melting it from the middle to gain entrance. Trevor ignited his blade and jabbed it along the sides of the door, cutting it out of the frames. He gathered himself, listening to the rest of the sounds around him. The acrid smell of molten metal assaulted his senses and the crackle of the blade in the door pounded his hearing. However, his vision moved into the other room to gauge what was happening on the other side. A smile crossed his face as the scene played out.

Two guards had situated themselves in such a way as to create a firing zone centered on the door. Two more guards seemed to be headed towards the slaves quarters. But what caught his attention most, was the guard running to the opposite door from Trevor's current position. He seemed to be deserting the group, which most mercenaries would never think of doing. Torr, it seemed, believed in that policy because a green laser shot came out and hit him squarely in the shoulders, killing him instantly. Trevor shook his head at the dissention in the ranks, and thanked the Force that things were finally going his way. The door frame was nearly cut through; the door teeterin inside the frame. _Let's have a little fun with this _suddenly came unbidden to his brain. Trevor kicked the door hard, tumbling into the room with it. Trevor kept his face towards the two guards, but took a moment to change his perspective, watching Torr with his "mind's eye". Torr reached into his cloak to grab the remote one more time. But this time, Trevor pulled the remote from Torr's hands. The remote flew across the room, surprising Torr so completely that he did not move for at least fifteen seconds. Laserfire was released immediately after the remote came in contact with his hand and he easily defeated the two guards.

Torr realized that his tricks were up. He turned back towards his chambers and closed the far door enough to make any movement into the room noticeable. Trevor quickly searched the two bodies. He could not find any keys on the guards, and realized that Torr might have had the only keys. Not knowing what the remote did, he did not want to inadvertently release noxious gas into the underground hideout, killing the slaves in the process. He decided to pursue Torr down the corridor to his living quarters.

At the entrance, Trevor spotted a multitude of cameras lining the wall. Trevor stopped, feeling a tremble of warning about the cameras. The sheer volume of numbers on the wall gave Trevor an indication that not everything was as it seemed. He maneuvered his vision closer to the cameras. The fifth camera down on the right side was only a shell; inside was the barrel of a laser blaster. Trevor reached out with the Force, pulling a blaster from one of the dead guards in the corner. He fired blindly down the corridor, causing twenty different laser bolts to criss cross the hall, creating a deadly fire zone. Trevor raised his eyebrows in surprise. _Nice. Glad I took a moment. Where is that maniac?_ He concentrated, moving his vision down the corridor and into the living quarters.

The main reception – office area contained a desk with a holonet terminal, fifteen to tweny datapads on the credenza on the near wall, and a few chairs. The next room contained a bed, closet, dresser and a few trinkets lining the wall. A closet, barely open, could be seen on the far wall in the bedroom.

Trevor continued to search the room, but Silais Torr was not longer in the area. At that moment, a strangely familiar voice spoke; so clearly and so shockingly familiar that Trevor did not even adjust his vision to see who it was.

"There is a turbolift just behind the large tapestry, directly across from the door to the office."

Trevor nodded, readjusted his point of view, and fired directly down the hall towards the indicated spot. The door, originally blocking the entrance had moved slightly, giving Trevor a better chance to strike. The laser bolt speared the tapestry, not allowing mere threads to stop it's progress. Trevor fired a second time, and then, a third. The sounds of the turbolift's emergency return could be heard over the din. Following the power cable up the shaft, his viewpoint showed Torr reaching inside his robes to pull out a small blaster pistol as the turbolift slowed, and started to retract. At this moment, the voice invaded his thoughts.

"Step out of the way. I'll get him. We want him alive."

Trevor straightened, replaced the laser pistol into his belt and turned around to meet his benefactor. Jedi Master Kura Oomaal was standing directly behind him with a sly twinkle in her eye. Trevor bowed slightly.

"Get out of view. You can watch, but don't be seen."

The elder Jedi turned on her heel and proceeded to the garden. Trevor just noticed that the immense tree, which he could not miss when he walked in, was clearly missing from the center. Oomaal stood in the center of the botanical exhibit as viney branches suddenly whipped around her, wrapping her within the folds of the tree like a new parent placing a baby in swaddling clothes. Trevor nearly stopped in amazement at the beauty of the tree, and the sudden insight of Master Oomaal's "undercover" assignment cause a smirk to break out on Trevor's face. Trevor heard footsteps coming down the corridor and hurried back the way he entered. He ducked behind the bulkhead just as Torr emerged from the corridor. The look of panic on Torr's face was nothing compared to the shock of what happened next. Torr walked around the room, attempting to find the hidden Jedi. He slinked across the room, hovering it seemed on his toes, ready for any movement.

Torr's lack of comfort was evident as he walked across the room. He kept turning around, physically spinning himself around at least twice while navigating towards the garden. Torr thought that the tree would give him some cover from any blaster fire, so he moved himself towards the garden. As Torr turned around for another glare around the room, the tree seemed to shrink, but also change its shape once again. The end result was of a bi-pedal creature made of tree bark. The branches of the tree became cascading vines, like long flowing hair. The vines reached out all around Torr, grabbing him in a tight grip. Torr immediately began to panic and thrash around. A vine with a blunt end raised itself up silently, poising for a moment, similar to a rifleman stopping to release his breath before a shot. Suddenly, the branch dropped down, soundly slammed itself onto Torr's temple. The impact caused bulky twi'lek's eyes to roll backward into his head, and the slaver boss' head slumped forward. The vines released the body, and fell to the floor, face down with a loud liquid thud.

The vines and tree branches whipped around again with the sound of a light breeze as Trevor extricated himself from his hiding spot. He walked toward the Jedi Master as her transformation completed. Oomaal extracted a comlink and Trevor could hear only one side of the conversation.

"Shudo… Good. It's all set? … Call in the backup ship. Let's get them out of here." The channel closed with an audible tone, and she turned toward Trevor as he neared her.

"Excellent work."

Trevor bowed deeply to her. "That was very impressive, Master Oomaal. How did you do that?"

Oomaal cocked her head at him. "Any Yeti can do that."

"I did not realize that."

"You should study up on your species more, but not your lightsaber training apparently." Oomaal chided gently. Trevor now understood why Shudo and Oomaal had been padawan and master. Oomaal's demeanor reminded Trevor of Shudo. Trevor smiled.

"Let's get the slaves." Oomaal led the way across the antechamber to the slaves quarters. The pair opened the doors to the slaves quarters. They were surprised to find Nawara and a large crowd of slaves milling about the central corridor. Trevor immediately noticed that the two guards who had entered here had met Nawara head-on, and lost. Smoke lifted slowly from the blaster holes, giving the Jedi an immediate recreation of the event. Nawara was dressed in fancy garments littered with jewels and necklaces across her neck and throughout her hair. It reminded Trevor of a dress he'd seen from the Queen of Naboo once upon a time. Nawara's eyes followed Trevor down the corridor. A thin smile creased her face, giving Trevor the impression of a chiding remark coming from her. He returned the favor, and the two friends shared a moment of greeting.

"Nice outfit, Nawara. You should wear that more often. It really accentuates your eyes."

"Good try, Trev. I won't be caught in this get-up again anytime soon. Too many memories."

"Well, let's hope that the others don't see a holo of this then."

"Very funny." The two were interrupted by Master Oomaal, who informed Trevor that they needed to get nearly one thousand slaves here in the complex. I've done a quick inventory of the 'facilities', and that's my best guess."

Oomaal, who had walked up to the two friends, nodded and gathered the slaves together and herded a group of slaves out the corridor to the remaining tower. The walk through the rubble was a bit dangerous, and the Jedi cleared paths where the going was rougher. Trevor, Nawara and Master Oomaal escorted the first hundred of the former slaves to the underground hanger bay, where Shudo had completely swept Torr's command ship for any booby-traps or other unknown dangers. Shudo bowed to his master, and lifted three small children onto his back. He proceeded to point out to the remaininig the twi'lek slaves places to stay during the trip back to the authorities. The Jedi loaded the slaves onto Torr's ship, making sure that all were comfortable for the trip back to the authorities.

The loading process took nearly two hours to complete. As the time flew past, Trevor took a few moments to reflect on his actions inside the fortress. He pondered his place within the Jedi Order. Most of the Jedi these days wanted to be scholors or philanthropists. Some even saw themselves as diplomats. However, Trevor sensed that his path was different than most. He felt that there was a need in the future for a long underutilized path within the Order. The landscape of Ryloth, its rocky barren terrain, and the recent battles beneath the surface, shone on the path that he felt suddenly compelled to follow: a Jedi Weapon Master. Nawara whistled, catching Trevor's attention as she waved him over to the gathering of Jedi outside a second Republic cruiser that just landed. Trevor walked over in silent thought, wondering what it would take to become a recognized weapons master.


	11. Chapter 11

p align"center">PLANET OF THE DEAD

The four Jedi assigned to the Ryloth mission stood outside a battered Republic cruiser's loading ramp supervising their fifth group of refugees from the depths of Torr's underground compound. The group had made a few trips back and forth from the inside of the compound and had extracted a semi-conscious Silais Torr on the second trip. He had been propped against a landing strut near his own ship and searched thoroughly by Oomaal. Trevor had led at least two trips back into the slaves quarters in his attempt to assist Shudo and Oomaal. A pair of young adults stopped and chatted with Nawara for a moment. A giggle from the youngest of the pair caught Trevor's attention. Her green eyes blinked quickly at being caught, and immediately hid her face in embarrassment. Trevor bowed his head, and turned back to the elder Jedi. Oomaal and Shudo were quietly discussing the rest of the extraction timeline.

"Masters," Trevor gently interrupted the conversation to gather their attention.

"Yes, Trevor." Shudo did not turn around, but knew his padawan was anxious to be doing something else.

"Since the former slaves are now mostly out of the pens, would you mind if I investigated his office space? There might be more slaves that we need to find." Trevor wasn't sure if that idea would be received well, as the transports were nearly full.

Kura Oomaal took control of the conversation. "Actually, Trevor, I was just thinking that Torr might have something in his office. I was never able to get into that part of the complex. If you could be so kind, please proceed with a quick search. You have thirty minutes. Shudo, please go with him and assist."

Both Jedi bowed to Oomaal, turned and trapsed back into the bowels of the fortress. Earlier they had to expand sections of the hallways that had started to crumble due to the E5's attack. The pair strode silently through the great hall and proceeded to search the entire office area. They found a small cache of weapons that they immediately disabled and confiscated. Trevor found the slave trader's console and immediately began to search for any more information regarding the slave trade. He was able to copy most of the files onto his own stash of datapads for the investigation droids in the analysis room back on Coruscant. The entire process took less than the time Oomaal allotted for the Jedi, listening to the Force guide them to the location of the most important information. The pair worked silently and independently, giving each other glances so as not to disturb the silent peace that seemed to have found a home in the former slavers headquarters. Shudo waved Trevor out of the room as the pair gathered their bounty. The trip out was nearly bittersweet for Trevor, but he felt a change in his heart. For not the first time, it was evident that he had finally come into his own as a Jedi Knight. He unknowingly straightened his back, making himself nearly a centimeter taller. Shudo made another mental note of this change.

The ships were in the final pre-flight countdown when the Jedi emerged from the rubble. They split up, Trevor entering Il Ventyce and Shudo the Crystal Phoenix. The ships lifted off, engines blossoming to full power under the vast load they now carried. The trip, though only an hour long, was uneventful. The slaves were allowed access to the refreshers throughout the ship and new clothing was handed out as well. Trevor could feel the changes in the emotions of the passengers. He smiled from the navigator's seat on the bridge.

The landing at one of the largest Rylothian cities was quick and the debarking of passengers went rather smoothly. An emergency triage center had been set up in one of the more posh hotels, no doubt politically moviated. Or so Nawara had mentioned under her breath when the shuttlecabs delivered them to the hotel. Security around the hotel seemed to be rather intense as well, as hundreds of medical staff were set up in the major conference rooms. The cataloging of all the passengers and equipment took nearly three days to complete. Trevor had no real compulsion to leave the former slaves, so he help the medical staff and investigators whenever he could. What Trevor did not lose sight of was the fact that all of the Rylothian cities were built underground, similar to the fortress he had just come from. Building rose hundreds of feet into the air, and stalactites and stalagmites were converted into buildings all through the underground. During his stay, he took the time to tour some of the more open areas of the city. He did not get the name of the city, but watched the people and culture move around him. The local holonet was showing a freak firestorm overhead, and Trevor watched with rapt interest. He had seen the hot and cold side of the planet when he arrived, but did not realize how intense the storms were.

After the third day, most of the passengers from the freedom flights, as many of the elder slaves had called them, were cared for. The emotional reunions of familys and loved ones were not attended by any of the Jedi. For those that had none, a special center had been set up to pair them with others for support and comfort. Housing was provided by the local government in a fairly posh hotel. Near midday, Shudo and Trevor felt that they were in the way, so they requested leave to head back to Coruscant to give an official mission update. Even though there had been reports during the preceding days, a visit to the Council was usually required for face-to-face confirmation of events.

The _Crystal Phoenix_ spent the next six days traveling back to Coruscant. Trevor took the time to catch up on some of his studies that had been neglected over the last month or so. He and Shudo talked about the missions he had been sent on over the last few weeks. They discussed and debated over the experiences, what he learned during the mission, and how he arrived at the conclusions. Shudo interviewed Trevor in detail more about some missions than others, and the two debated certain points that Trevor had never thought of during the mission. Shudo also mentioned that Kimber Thomree, his 'big sister' during his formative years and Shudo's second padawan, had begun her search for a padawan of her own. She had been a Jedi for many years. Having taken the Trials at an extremely young age, she had more years to learn the ways of the Jedi and experience different missions than Trevor's. She was an accomplished Jedi in her own right. She never talked about her missions, but seemed to be happy to bask in the glow of other's company. Shudo did not give details, and Trevor was eager for more. Even though he'd been a Jedi for three months, it was not a common sight to have a padawan within the first year of knighthood. They continued to discuss subjects during the trip back. Trevor also pressed Shudo into giving the exact details of the programs that were replaced on E5. The elder Jedi gave a list, but Trevor pressed.

"Master, what kind of behavioral programming did you put into E5?"

Shudo shook his head. "Nothing more than usual. Why?"

Trevor mentioned the caution E5 exhibited during his Tatooine mission. "Since you have not added anything to his programming, then he is just a feisty droid. I thought you might have placed some sort of behavioral modifications to his programming. Feisty droid."

Shudo smiled. "Yes, he is. He was on this ship a long time, and I am glad to see that a padawan of mine could use him. Kimber is cautious enough on her own, but every so often, you need a reminder."

The pair shared a moment, each reflecting on a different memory, when the re-entry klaxon blared, announcing final approach to Coruscant.

The ship landed in the docking bay with a gentle _thud_. The landing ramp opened and the pair emerged before the end hit the deck. They logged evidence with the analysis droids, and then split apart. Prior to departing, Shudo gave Trevor instructions to meet him in the Council chambers at approximately midday. Trevor nodded and headed towards his quarters. The corridors were surprisingly empty of beings. He did not notice how quiet things were in the Temple before. But being in a ship for nearly a week caused an emptiness to be in his soul to interact with other beings. He opened the door to his quarters and noticed that the morning light was a bit diffused by high thin clouds. _Might be rain today,_ he thought. He changed his robes, spent some time in the refresher, and then headed down to the cafeteria for a quick meal and some interaction. When he arrived, the room was nearly empty. A few people he recognized waved at him, and he nodded back. He ate his meal slowly, sitting near a window. A human youngling walked into the room, seeming to be on the verge of tears. Trevor sensed the youngling's despair and immediately stood up.

"Youngling, what is the problem?"

The youngster, Robiar by name, was surprised by the Miraluka, but immediately recovered. His sleeve swept across his cheeks, wiping away the tears that had escaped his eyes. "I… I… was trying… to… to lift a… box.. and…"

Trevor got down on one knee in front of the child. "And you did not lift it on your first try, did you?"

Robiar did not allow words to escape from his control of emotions. Trevor smiled, "Come. Sit with me for a moment."

The two walked towards Trevor's seat. Trevor offered Rodiar some of his meal, and the youngster nibbled graciously.

"Rodiar, do you know why you were asked to lift a box?"

"Yes, it was to help us channel the Force."

"Why do you think that you did not lift it?"

"I am too small."

Trevor smiled. "Ah, but Master Yoda would not accept that answer, would he?"

Rodiar looked at him, chagrined. "No," he poutily replied.

"Do you know how many people in my clan could lift a box the very first time they were asked to do it?"

The child looked at him expectantly. "How many? Did you?"

Trevor smiled. "No, youngling. In my clan, no one could lift it."

Shoulders slouched noticeably. "But…"

"Rodiar. Because you were not successful the first time, does not mean that you can never do it. It just means that you need to practice. A Jedi must learn from his failures, or else he does improve himself as a Jedi. You do want to be a Jedi, don't you?"

"Yes, Master." The eyes twinkled in anticipation.

"Please, just Trevor. I am no one's Master. Take some friendly advice. Concentrate and listen to what the Force is telling you. Learn from your mistakes. Practice. I practice with my lightsaber all the time. Is it because I am bad with it? No, but I want to be better each time I have to use it. Confidence, lad. Practice. Frustration leads to anger. And you know where that goes. If you cannot do it the first time, meditate on why you could not and work around it."

The young boy looked at Trevor with determination in his eyes. "You sound like my instructor. But the words seem different coming from you. Thank you, Ma-- Sir Trevor. I will try."

Trevor nodded at him. "Just between you and I; don't let Master Yoda hear that. You know what he says about try. Oh, is that your instructor over there?" Trevor pointed to a cloaked Rodian at the door to the cafeteria. Trevor recognized Master Herndo, the Jedi Instructor specialized in telekinesis, the art of moving objects with the Force. Trevor had learned the same speech from Herndo years before. The two nodded at each other as Rodiar leapt from the table and walked over to his instructor. At the door, he turned and waved to the seated Jedi. Trevor waved back, wondering if he had the patience to train someone like the youngster, as he just had done with the young boy. Trevor stood up, grabbed a fruit from the exit arean, and chewed on his first bite as he headed for the Council Chambers.

There were no empty seats in the Council Chambers on this sunny day. It was a nervous time when the entire Council listened to his every word. He was asked to give an accounting of how he accomplished his mission on Ryloth. Shudo took a step back to allow his former padawan the floor. Trevor did not give a blow by blow detail of the entire episode, but did give statements like "disarmed" and "dispatched". The first time he used disarmed it took all of his Jedi training not to burst out laughing. A Jedi 'disarming' someone definitely had a different connotation that other security forces. Death of innocents was taken seriously within the Jedi Order, but in this case, all of the deaths were justified. The Council nodded their approval of the report to Trevor as he concluded. Shudo filled in the rest of the details of his portion of the mission. Master Yoda turned to Mace, who had been staring rather intently at Trevor during the entire report. Windu simply nodded once, not even turning to Yoda. The wizened Jedi turned back to the pair.

"Thanks the Council gives to this report. Brought to justice, the trader of slave has been." Yoda turned slightly to Ki-Adi Mundi, who took the floor.

"The Rylothian delegation to the Galactic Senate have sent along commendations for those that were involved with the mission. Kura's and Nawara's are on file along with yours. Know that they are very happy to have their people returned to them."

Shudo and Trevor bowed deeply to Mundi, Yoda and Windu. The three leaders of the Council nodded in response, and the Jedi pair turned away, out of the chambers. Once the doors closed, Trevor turned to Shudo.

"Master, how often do governments send commendations?"

"Almost never. But this mission was very in-depth, and obviously the work was certainly dangerous. I feel that there is nothing in this but honest sincerity on the part of the Rylothians. They have a number of their people back. Wouldn't you be glad to have your family home?"

Trevor thought about that as he walked back to his quarters. The only family he knew was those in the Temple. Of all the people who were around him, most were like close friends. A couple of people were much closer, and came to mind much quicker: Kimber and Yendis. He knew rules were in place within the Order and he never questioned them much. He just looked upon them with compassion and love from within.

As he approached his room, he felt that he had been cooped up in rooms, quarters and ships for too long. There were exercises that he suddenly felt the need to do. He changed to a more comfortable outfit and headed down to an exercise arena. The arena was just for youngling learning to gather the Force within themselves and jump much higher than normal beings did. A Jedi technician was sitting near the control board.

"Master Jedi, what can I do for you?"

"If possible, can you set up the main arena for me? I'm looking to do a little Force-work."

The tech smiled at him. "Youngling training?"

Trevor laughed. "No, not really. Can you make it a bit more random? I also want it in short bursts, between thirty and sixty seconds."

"Yeah, I can do that. Should be about five minutes before it's ready. Why do you head down? I'll blink the lights when I'm ready."

Trevor thanked the tech and left the control room. Moments later, as the technician was about to flip the lights, a shadow blocked the light coming from the hall. The tech nearly screamed, but a calm voice prevented the noise from being heard outside the door.

"What did he ask for?" the voice gently pressed.

"He requested an adult variation of the Youngling training program," the tech answered. "Master, why --?"

"I am curious," the voice cooed. "Keep to your work." The cloaked Jedi stood back and watched the monitors carefully.

Trevor entered the chamber a few moments later. The area was nearly fifty meters across, and easily that high. Trevor enjoyed working in this room, as there was space enough to really jump high. The columns started out only about five meters tall for the first set, as a way of warming up. However, for the next twenty minutes, Trevor worked on bridges, narrow walkways, and very high balconies, or so he thought of them. Trevor had started another round of drills, bouncing off of one column to land on a higher platform, when the platform below him suddenly headed towards the floor. In shock, Trevor turned around and found the entire room being reset. As he reached the floor, he realized there was a slight disturbance in the Force, as if someone was letting another Jedi that they were standing there. Trevor turned his vision toward the door to the arena and noticed Mace Windu standing at the door. The hairs in the small of his neck raised in alarm, but he took a deep breath and bowed respectfully to the best Weapons Master the Order had seen in nearly five millennia. Windu's background was not well known, but his feats in the field equaled the rumors of how good he really was with a lightsaber. Trevor noticed that the brown cloak was wrapped loosely around the Weapon Master's shoulders and the renowned lightsaber was clipped slightly forward of the left hip. Windu's dark skin shown in the light of the arena.

Trevor walked over to the doorway, inquiring, "Master Windu. Is there something wrong?"

Windu shook his head. "No, Trevor. I was just wondering if we might have a word together."

"Certainly." The pair walked deeper into the room. The hatch closed to the arena with a resounding _thud_. Trevor imagined a prison gate being closed, but immediately turned his attention to Windu, who had stopped near the center.

"I have been watching your progress since you became a Jedi Knight, Trevor. You have been exceedingly successful in the missions you have faced. Many battles you have fought, and fought well, I might add." A slight pause. "Have you thought about what you want to do in the Jedi Order?"

"Yes, Master. I have thought about this for a while, but wasn't sure how I should approach it."

"What is it that you want to do here?"

Trevor inhaled deeply, and pushed forward. "I want to follow in your footsteps. I want to be a Jedi weapon master."

Silence engulfed the room, and the two Jedi stood across from one another. Windu nodded.

"Let us see how good you are, young Knight. I am challenging you to a duel, right now. How long will it take for you to be ready?"

"I can be ready in five minutes."

"You have two." The stern voice of Windu ended the argument before it even began. Trevor's wish to be a Weapon Master was being put to the test. This was more nerve-wracking than his original Trials to be a Jedi Knight. Windu shed his cloak and unclipped his lightsaber, indicating that he was ready anytime Trevor was. The younger Jedi turned his back to the armed Windu and began a series of serious calming exercises geared towards battle. He also took the time to review the rules of dueling within the Jedi Order. At any time, a Jedi could call the duel off and both combatants would disengage their lightsabers to signal the end of the duel. Also, neither combatant would harm another Jedi. Duels were used to conducted for training and testing. In the history of the Jedi order, there were only two people who could have been known to best Windu. One was Master Yoda and the other was a former Jedi named Count Dooku. Trevor had never really known Dooku, except to see him walking the halls of the Temple. Trevor gathered the Force within him, calming himself and preparing himself for the toughest duel in his career.

Mace watched the Miraluka kneel down, back facing him. He knew the younger Jedi was capable of being a Weapon Master just from the reports. He was not rash, but when he made a decision, he followed through. He killed not for joy, but out of necessity. He was always working to make his skills better with a lightsaber and that was what drew Mace to Trevor. There was a burning desire for knowledge and learning. Trevor made mistakes, but he learned each time and adjusted quickly to each encounter. The distraction mission on Ryloth sealed Trevor's fate with Mace. Windu knew that, though many could have done what he did, Trevor was one to reflect on his actions and wonder if it could have been another way. His reputation amongst the Jedi located at the Temple had reached Windu's ears and he listened about the 'seemingly blind man' who could wield a lightsaber better than those in his clan. Weapons master were known, not just for their bravery, but also their cunning wit and skill with a lightsaber. Master Yoda could have been one, but he chose a different path.

A sudden movement from Trevor shook Mace from his reverie. The Miraluka stood up, turned and nodded once to the Jedi Master. Windu returned the nod and the room was suddenly filled with silver and purple light. Windu stood on guard, watching for the first sign of movement from Trevor, violet blade pointed directly at the ceiling. Trevor kept his saber parallel with the floor, looking around the room with his vision to see who might be watching the action. Fortunately, all of the observation windows and doors were closed tight. _This is definitely a test_, thought Trevor. Otherwise, it would be embarrassing to Trevor if he lost.

A flash of purple light moved towards Trevor with amazing speed. Trevor barely had time to react before the blade was in motion again. The blazing speed at which Windu could move was astounding. Trevor had never experience fear while being a Jedi, but he now knew that he was easily outclassed by the more experienced Jedi. It was all he could do to block each swipe of the blade. Windu's expression never changed, and he swung the blade as if it were part of his own body, fluid and smooth. The series of attacks stopped, and Trevor responded in kind. Silver blade connected with violet in a shower of sparks. Desperation started to set in, but Trevor pushed it aside. He could already feel his strength sapping and he returned three swings of his own blade in Windu's direction.

The ferocity of the counter attack could only be described as surprising to Mace Windu. He did not expect to have the 'young pup' be able to counter so quickly, and accurately. Windu needed to exert quite a bit of energy to block the silver blade. _Yes, he is ready to train for it_, Windu thought. _But he has a lot to learn still. It might be nice to train another…_ The thought trailed off as Windu saw a hole in Trevor's defenses. Windu took a step back, as if to give the youngster some breathing room, but then reversed course quickly, rattling the younger Jedi into a completely defensive posture. The first swipe cut deep into Trevor's garment. The second swipe angled towards a sudden opening near the Jedi's throat. The violet blade moved of its own volition. Trevor saw the deadly move coming and knew that he would not be fast enough to counter.

"YIELD!", he shouted. The violet blade stopped within three centimeters of his neck and immediately was disengaged. Trevor turned off his saber as well, as the adrenaline of the encounter suddenly burst from him. Hands shaking uncontrollably and breathing erratic, Trevor took two steps back from the victor, bowing in acquiescence.

"Trevor." Mace's voice was not the stern one he expected, but rather a calming voice; one of a concerned brother. The voice spoke slowly, almost haltingly. "You have learned much in a short time. Meditate on this. Continue your studies and your training. Do not dwell on the results." Both Jedi bowed, Mace Windu turned and strode from the room. Trevor, dazed and confused, stumbled three minutes later, humbled by his loss to the best weapon master in the Order of all time.

Trevor stood at his window, motionless. Though the last rays of warming sun had left his face more than an hour ago, he continued to stand like a statue of a man in deep thought. His force-sight drifted in slow, sweeping arcs across the surrounding scenery as the lights of congested sky-traffic competed with the fading glow of one of Coruscant's spectacular sunsets.

The illusion of motionlessness was broken as Trevor's hand slowly reached up to finger the jagged, singed slash on the side of his tunic--the unmistakable mark of a lightsaber. He couldn't stop re-playing the duel over and over in his mind. It was clear to him now that he still had so much yet to learn. The thought was sobering, but he couldn't quite suppress the lingering sense of excitement.

A soft chime from the com-unit broke Trevor's moment of reflection. As he approached the wall-mounted screen, he saw a blinking yellow light indicating an encrypted message. The source was surprising: Local Coruscant Relay Node XG-644671/B5. _That's less than a twenty-minute skycab ride from the Temple_, thought Trevor. He couldn't imagine who would be sending him an encrypted message from that area--unless it had been re-routed from another source. Whoever it was, they were clearly concerned about the information being intercepted before it reached Trevor. The encryption prevented the message from being accessed anywhere but at his private com-unit.

He quickly accessed the message. While the identity of the sender was conspicuously absent, Trevor had little trouble recognizing the icons flanking the glowing text.

-- Trevor, I've come across some interesting info I thought you should know about…

-- One of my contacts revealed that there was secured shipment sent out of Metallos to the Necropolis system recently. He indicated that the shipment included an unusually heavy compliment of security droids of unknown make…

-- Apparently, the shipment appeared to be the usual secured sentient remains typical of shipments to Necropolis, but was registered only as "Manufacturing Alloys," which would have allowed it to bypass a number of high-security checkpoints…

-- I would investigate myself, but I'm currently in the middle of an important trade negotiation. I think you would have less trouble with local security anyway…

-- My contact saw four "security" droids similar to those on Umgul. I have no idea how many may still be on Necropolis, or if any are of the type we saw on Ord Mantell. Be careful…

…A friend.

The flashing pictures were familiar as they looked remarkably like Yendis Arctel's new blade hilts. Now that he'd seen her again, he was glad to have news from her. She had grown into a beautiful female Zabrak, and he knew he'd never be able to keep her out of his imagination. Shaking his head of the cobwebs, he read the transcript again. _..security droids similar to those on Umgul_. If Yendis was right, then more of these droids were out in the open market, and that was not a good thing. Trevor took a moment and wondered who might be behind the creation of these droids. Trevor decided to head immediately to the Council Chamber. He grabbed his cloak and lightsaber, which were placed on the kitchen counter upon his return. He left his quarters, bound for the turbolift. _Master Windu was right, I should not dwell on this. I need to evaluate this later_. Trevor pushed the entire incident from his mind, calming himself. He knew that this information passed on to him was rather important. A sudden flash of insight gave Trevor motivation for finding the mastermind behind these droids. _I wonder what kind of connection these droids have to that holocron?_ Trevor stopped in the middle of the hallway as the hair stood up on his skin. _Could that artifact have been instructions on how to build a lightsaber?_ The end result Trevor could not fathom, but he felt that he was getting closer with each passing day.

Master Eeth Koth and Seasee Tinn stood across from the entrance to the chambers, discussing the current events of the day. Master Yaddle was seated in her chair. The trio seemed to be hushed conversations when Trevor was admitted. The seated Jedi turned slightly, bowing to the youngster. Trevor bowed to all three.

"Trevor." Master Koth spoke calmly, nodding in return.

"Master Koth. I have received information from a contact of mine that a secured shipment has been sent to Necropolis. My contact mentioned that there was an unusually heavy compliment of security droids sent along with that shipment. The registration only as 'manufacturing alloys', which prompted my contact to forward this to me. What also made my contact more concernedwas the type of droid used. The four droids they described exactly fit the description of those I encountered on Umgul."

The trio of Jedi were as still as status. Koth's voice, though quieted, still shook Trevor greatly. "Interesting. Manufacturing alloys." Koth turned to the seated Jedi. "You would know better than I, Master Yaddle, but I believe that the entire surface of Necropolis has already been completely developed into funerary structures. Any new structures would be erected on the other planets in the system."

Yaddle nodded, a look of consternation on her face. "Right you are."

Saesee Tinn found his voice and added his comment to the mix. "Mysterious droids." The trio looked at one another, each mired in their own thoughts. Trevor did not want to disturb them, but felt that time was starting to speed up.

Eeth Koth turned to the newest weapon master initiate. "You uncovered the existence of some sort of mysterious ringleader for whatever is going on, didn't you? This Talon?"

Trevor nodded, "Yes." His simple reply belied the anxiety that he felt inside. He quickly sequestered it with a deep breath.

"Do you have reason to believe that you would encounter him here?"

"I am not sure, but it disturbs me that there are more of these droids out there. And I have not been notified of any new developments in regards to the the Sith artifact from Alderaan. It is my concern and worry that this artifact might contain the instructions for creating a lightsaber. I'd like to request permission to investigate this shipment." Trevor kept his breathing calm as he watched the trio look to each other to make the decision. Trevor thought he saw Saesee Tinn's head nod fractionally. He quickly turned his vision to Master Yaddle, but Eeth Koth spoke to him.

"We will grant you permission to investigate. If you believe that you have come across this Talon, do not engage him directly." Trevor quietly breathed a sigh of relief. Eeth Koth continued. "I would send Master Shudo with you, but he has recently departed for Zolan."

Trevor bowed to the group. "I will send you word when I get there and will keep you apprised of the situation. If I cannot send it directly, I will have my astromech forward it along."

"Very good. Use caution."

"Yes Master."

Yaddle turned her wizened face. "May the Force be with you."

Trevor bowed to her, and to the others, turned around, and left the chambers. The main doors closed and the Jedi Council members turned to each other.

"Do you think that he should be allowed to follow through with this?" Saesee Tinn inquired.

"I was discussing the matter with Mace before arriving at the Council Chambers," Eeth Koth replied. "He mentioned that he gave Gul'dan one of his 'tests' in the main training arena earlier. Mace and Shudo were wondering what Trevor wanted to do within the Jedi Order. Windu tells me that he," nodding his head towards the doors, "wants to be a Weapons Master." Heads nodded, looking out the door that Trevor departed from moments earlier.

Trevor headed back to his quarters, and communicated with E5 to prep the ship for take off. He was still tired from his duel with Mace, but a sense of urgency gripped him in a vice-like grip. He went over to the com-station and requested a background download of the Necropolis system. Trevor knew of the Necropolis system, but wanted to verify that he had his information correct. The download was directed towards E5 and the Whitecloak. He gathered his standard wardrobe and his lightsabers from storage. He locked the door to his quarters and headed directly to the flight deck. E5 was sitting in his hatch, beeping incessantly. Trevor nodded and climbed aboard to get a translation of the droid's status of the flight.

"Yes, E5. We are going to Necropolis, the graveyard planet. Take us out, I need to do some research on the planet system for the trip over."

Trevor received an affirmative response from E5, and immediately took to his datapad on the Necropolis system. The information was vast, but Trevor sped through most of the extreme detail, but concentrated on the main planet, Zolan. The Zolanders were a quiet, reserved peoples who revered the dead. They had been known for nearly sixteen millennia as the keepers of the deceased and knew all of the proper burial rights and customs for worlds in the Galactic Republic's member worlds. The first inhabitants of the Zolan homeworld were so distraught that the different species were being merged into one society that the uniqueness of such customs as burials and funerals that they took it upon themselves to document as many different species pushed together with the advent of hyperdrive engines. Soon the entire planet was being overrun with requests to bury the dead, that the planetary system soon became known collectively as Necropolis, City of the Dead. Terraforming needed to be performed on the outer systems within the last four millennia and to this day, Necropolis is used by genealogists and family members to honor the dead.

Trevor realized that the denizens of the planet were not the normal species that he'd run into on other worlds. The download even included some of the more colorful superstitions of the planet; one such story included bemoaned that ancient traditions forbid any activity other than internment or visitation of grave sites within the cemetary. If proper respect is not shown, the corpses will rise from the dead to take their revenge on the living. Keeping on the clearly marked paths is strongly recommended, the information concluded. Trevor shivered in his seat, and decided that he would not venture from the paths if he could avoid it. Lightsaber wounds never really heal anyway, but these kinds of stories seemed to make his skin crawl.

The rest of the trip was rather innocuous. Trevor put himself into a meditative state to try and recover some of his energy from his duel with Mace. He continued to replay the duel over in his mind, but now, nearly three hours after the actual event, the 'student' inside pushed passed the 'loser' and broke down each of the moves made by the Jedi Master. Trevor kept his vision closed and reviewed it in slow motion, repeating the swings in his mind and trying to feel how he would be able to use them in the future.

The fighter exited hyperspace nearly two hours after leaving the Coruscant system. Necropolis was on the outskirts of the Core Region of space, and the short flight meant that Trevor could actually pilot his own fighter for a change. E5 left the controls alone, letting the Jedi practice his skills as a pilot. The feisty droid noted that the Miraluka had found confidence in the last few months behind the stick of the fighter. He had never had to fly in combat, and Trevor wasn't sure he wanted to, but E5 had keep checking on him every few turns to check to see if the Jedi wanted the automaton to take over. Trevor smiled, thinking to the first time he was behind the controls of his first Whitecloak. He pushed off the inquiry and realized that he needed to figure out how to get down to the planet without arousing suspicion. Trevor suddenly realized that Eeth Koth had deferred to Master Yaddle, the most noted historian within the Order. With her advanced age, or what he thought was advanced age, she would find that Necropolis would be a great place to learn about history; a treasure trove, really, that any historian worth their value in credits would salivate if they stumbled upon it. With the number of Jedi who perished over the past millennia, it is possible that he'd be able to get down to the planet to pay his respect to any of the fallen Jedi. Just walking through and tying in births, deaths, and family information would keep an history buff busy for nearly a day.

While thinking of this type of information, Trevor's mind wandered. _Who is controlling these Dashade? Why would they be here on a 'dead' planet, a planet with very few living beings? It just doesn't make any sense._ The thoughts flowed over him, allowing him to coast down through the atmosphere. He realized that tons of Jedi might be buried here as well. Even though the ritual of cremation was used on Jedi who perished in the line of duty, Necropolis would certainly have memorials for fallen Jedi. And with the variety of species located on the surface, there certainly should be an automated system to deal with the vast amount of inquiries.

Trevor communicated with the Necropolian Central Computer and made his requests for different Jedi. The system responded with the location of the modest memorial to Shoaneb Culu, one of the more famous Miraluken Jedi. Trevor downloaded the information and turned to face E5, who was mounted on the outside of the ship.

"E5, see if you can get the central network to give up the numbers of ships that did not request a burial site."

The droid responded with a quick affirmative twitter, and the Jedi studied the location against his planetary maps. Moments later, E5 responded via the translation screen.

"I have found nearly a thousand ships within that time frame."

"Are any of the ships identified?"

E5 showed nearly two hundred different ships that did register with the central computer. Trevor nodded, realizing that he was searching the wrong way. Most visitors will use the register as a guest book, showing future visitors just how important that they might be by visiting certain family celebrities. _Well, that was rather interesting. Guess I'll try to think of something different._

Trevor kept going over options, throwing out ones that seemed to simple, or too complex. He mulled over more options, turned his vision down onto the planet. The foggy mist that covered nearly ninety percent of the planet reminded Trevor of Umgul. Looking down on the trillions of grave sites suddenly gave him an insight he had missed before, just because it was so obvious.

"E5, give me a listing of ships that recently interned more residents of the planet."

A questioning chirp issued from the outside. "You want what?"

"You heard me. I want to know when the last shipments of cadavers were delivered and where."

The translator did not register what the response was, but the smile on Trevor's face gave the droid the impression that he did not need a translation for his last comment. E5 responded with about six internments. Trevor held his breath on his next question.

"Ok, where did they go?"

The astromech researched the question and showed the information on the main display within the Whitecloak. One of the shipments was Hill noble, a long standing ancient Core World culture. E5 also provided Trevor with a human burial sites, a Kuati internment. Trevor remembered from his history classes many years ago that Kuat is the most prominent of the Core human worlds that currently did a vast amount of ship manufacturing. The huge spaceyards were extremely elaborate as Trevor remembered one picture. The Fautis crypt, the information noted, had five deliveries in the last month. Trevor reviewed the information, but something about the Fautis deliveries caused him to wander to that location. He asked E5 to direct him to the nearest landing area. Suddenly the comunit twittered.

"Whitecloak entering the Necropolis system, please identify yourself," a mechanical voice inquired.

"Trevor Gul'dan of the Jedi Temple, Coruscant."

The traffic controller immediately changed its tone. "Sir, you are cleared for access to all of Necropolis. Have a nice day."

Trevor smiled and thanked the controller. He landed the Whitecloak onto the landing area, which had as much floor space as the hanger bay back at the Temple. Trevor shut down the engines, and realized that he still was not fully energized. The adrenaline of the duel and tailing this lead had finally run out. Knowing that the Council was watching his every move, he decided to check in.

"E5, open a secured, encrypted communication channel to the Jedi Council."

"This is Trevor Gul'dan reporting in as requested. I have landed and will be investigating two crypts where there have been internments within the last week to verify the existence of proper internments. I will report back when I have more."

Trevor sent off the transmittion to the Council, and immediately felt a need to catch a quick nap. He set his seat back, leaned in and got comfortable for a quick cat nap. He instructed E5 to wake him in one standard hour and immediately drifted off to a dreamless sleep.

Trevor woke feeling more refreshed, which made him feel better about the walk that he had ahead of him. The landing area was nearly nine hundred meters away from the Fautis family crypt, and the walk would certainly do his sore muscles some good. He raised the canopy of the fighter and climbed down. He locked E5 into his socket and gave the droid the normal instructions. He also tested his communicator, just in case. Trevor turned around and realized that Necropolis was a huge city. There were pyramidal monuments on every street. Large obelisks, pyramids, monstrous crypt buildings reaching up and vanishing within the fog shrouded sky. The green-grey mossy turf littered the ground outside of the worn stone walkways. Trevor realized that attracting any attention would not be a good thing, so he stayed to the pathways. He listened to the light wind blowing through the bushes and trees. Small animals scurried around under the brush, causing Trevor to snap his head to the left and right quite a bit. He kept his hand on his lightsaber but after a few minutes, he realized that he was being paranoid.

He turned a corner, looking down a long boulevard containing the Fautis crypt. The crypts was very large, not really that remarkable. It was at the extreme limits of his vision. Something gave him a very strange feeling. _Something is off_. He looked around for a stone path, but none were immediately available. The fog shrouded the building, but he figured that he'd just walk down to the next path. Keeping the cowl of the cloak over his face, he walked down the middle of the boulevard, advancing just a little slower. He moved his vision ahead, trying to figure out why the building disturbed him. As he neared the building, Trevor turned his vision upwards, along a balcony. He spotted an alcove with a figure inside, a second alcove with a figure ….. that moved backwards into the doorway. Trevor nearly stopped in his tracks, but recovered quickly. He decided that he would continue on, and find a new path. He continued along. The next building actually would have covered his approach, but figured he'd give that figure a chance to forget him. He walked past six buildings, turned left, took another left and wandered up the path to the large building next to the Fautis Crypt.

Trevor moved himself out of the way, into an alcove within the next building, sad down, and concentrated his vision on the crypt next door. The stairs leading up from the pathway lead to a balcony with two statues framing an large door at the top. A figure was hiding behind one of the statues. The dark-skinned bald figure kept looking out as if keeping a guard. The wide shoulders and heavy build of the figures left no doubt in his mind that these beings were Dashade. It looked like they were on guard duty for something. Trevor continued to watch the sentry. He remembered that the Dashade might have been Force-sensitive, and might be able to sense him. He performed a Jedi hiding trick that was part of his Trials. He muted his presence within the Force, hopefully giving the Dashade a false sense of security. Once he performed that, he turned his vision back towards the Dashade. The figure stood up, reached into his belt and pulled what looked like a block from a pouch. He placed it against the doorframe, which caused the door to open. The sentry walked down the corridor and turned just inside a hallway that lead to a set of stairs.

Continuing down the hall, Trevor noted that the glyphs on the walls showed murals of the Kuati culture. What was notable about the murals was that the Kuati society was matriarchal in nature. The woman were depicted in regal robes, while the men were much smaller in stature. He kept his vision on the Dashade, who reached a second door approximately half way down the corridor. It opened into an actually crypt chamber, complete with sarcophagus in the middle of the room. Inside were three other Dashade lounging around the room. They had their weaponry and equipment scattered around the room giving the impression that this was their central base. Two of the Dashade were sitting down, cleaning a piece of equipment while the third was standing over them. The fourth Dashade walked up to the standing one, who questioned the newcomer right away.

"Anything?"

"Nothing out the front. He kept moving. Nothing out the back either."

Trevor breathed a sigh of relief, knowing now that he was not spotted on his return trip.

"Sir, looked like he could have been Jedi."

"Could have been Jedi, could have been anyone. Keep a watch out."

The two standing Dashade headed back out of the room, each one heading in opposite directions. Trevor searched around the room, watching the equipment and the remaining Dashade working on their equipment. One added a new energy cell to his vibroblade while the other was reassembling his weapon. As he scanned the room, he noticed a small blaster against a wall, gear inside of alcoves, a fusion furnace on the floor, weapons on benches. Stuff was strewn everyone, except on the sarcophagus in the middle of the room. There was not a stitch of equipment was anywhere near it.

Trevor switched his vision back to his current location. He knew that he was in a precarious spot. He decided to observe the suspicious sentries for a while. He also needed a place to create a plan of attack. He climbed up the outside to the first level, sat down behind a statue, and pulled out his communicator.

"E5, retransmit to the Council immediately. This is Trevor Gul'dan reporting in. I have found four Dashade at the Fautis Crypt on Necropolis. I am currently observing them, but their base of operations seems a bit strange. A sarcophagus lies in the middle of the room with nothing on it. Every other object, alcove, and bench in the crypt has something either leaning on it, strapped on it, or is being sat upon. I will be continuing my investigation, and will report when I have more."

He ended the transmission, stowed his communicator, and continued to watch the Dashade's patterns for the next hour. Adrenaline started to flow, but Trevor stored the energy away for later, figuring that he'd need it.

The hour passed quickly, giving Trevor the impression that these Dashade had been here for quite a while. The sentry's movements were practiced, but boring. Duty station here was a boring assignment it seemed, and as any guard duty, they had done most everything twice already and were both on-edge and bored at the same time. Trevor realized that a surprise attack would be the best way to catch these guards. They were definitely guarding something, that much was clear. One hour was all Trevor needed to gather the pattern. A Dashade would walk from the main room, out to the main doorway for a while, go up the stairs, check outside, head back down the corridor and search the other side with the same pattern. The whole pattern seemed to be rather lazy, for these fierce warriors. Knowing their prowess in battle, Trevor gathered that they had been here for at least five days. He decided that he needed to check out the main room. He moved his vision to the main room, and searched completely around. His curiosity about the sarcophagus got the best of him, and he turned his vision inside. After adjusting to the completely darkness, he realized that he was not looking at the remains of a body, but rather random equipment. Trevor noted that a set of wires were drilled through the floor, heading down into the crypt itself. Trevor followed the wiring through the floor, and was surprised to find a shaft heading straight down directly underneath. As he continued down the shaft, a feeling of danger hit him like a vibroblade. His vision reached the bottom of the shaft, which held a repulsorsled at the bottom. The sled seemed to be set up as a lift to go up and down the shaft. A couple of indicator lights gave notice that the sled was definitely in working order. The sled sat in a low-ceilling, wide corridor that cut across the buildings. As he moved his vision down the hallway, the sinking feeling got stronger the closer he got to a set of blast doors. The lights in the corridor force Trevor to adjust his vision slightly. He pushed his was through the doors and he was surprised by the sudden darkness. He consciously switched to a 'night vision', and it was still dark. He pulled back to the corridor and pushed back through the doors. Still darkness. He thought it was rather odd, but what really made him nervous was the feeling of danger coming towards him. It was the similar feeling he had on Ryloth after he fell to Silais Torr's trap and he saw the ripples the first time. He reverted his vision back to himself and breathe deeply. _Whatever is down there, is not good. What would prevent me from seeing with the For-_. The idea hit him like a warhammer. _What kind of object could make that kind of darkness?_ A Sith exhibit popped into his head, and he immediately grabbed his communicator, and placed it on his datapad.

"E5. Any report back from the Council?"

The droid transferred three words. "Proceed with caution."

"E5, I need another link with the Council, this time, a live link."

A moment passed, and the astromech chipped that a connection had been made. Trevor placed his communicator on his datapad, and the images of Mace Windu and Eeth Koth appeared on the screen.

"Masters, I have run into something that I have never seen before.  
"What is it?"

"Using my unique abilities, I searched through the crypt where the Dashade are." He continued with a description of the shaft, sled, and the corridor to the blast doors. "When I pushed through the blast doors, I saw only darkness."

"Did you sense any life on the other side?"

"No. But it is my belief, a hunch really, that this is the hiding place of the Sith artifact."

Windu responded. "Did it appear to you this way before when you encountered it?"

"I had a feeling of not wanting to be in the room with it."

"Were you able to observe it in normal light?"

"I never saw it on Alderaan. But it is the exact same feeling."

"You don't sense any other Dark Side presense?"

"I didn't, but it does not mean that it wasn't there. I have only had this experience once before."

Windu stared at the view screen. "What action would you like to take?"

A deep breath. "We need to recover that artifact."

"I agree. Do you think that you can achieve that?"

"I believe I can."

"Then recover it. Leave as soon as possible."

"Very well."

"May the Force be with you."

"Gul'dan out."

A small twitter from the communicator caused Trevor to look at the screen one last time.

"Be careful."

A smirk crossed Trevor's face. "Keep the engines warm."

"They are already on."

Trevor put away all of his communication gear and grabbed his lightsaber. He released his adrenaline and moved his vision towards the crypt. The Dashade had been doing guard duty for so long it had become mechanical. When the Dashade had moved away from the outer doors, Trevor climbed down to the stone walkways, and jogged over to the Fautis Crypt stairs. He bounded up the stairs two at a time, lightsaber at the ready just in case they decided that they wanted to suddenly change their pattern. He moved to the left side of the door and stood behind a statue, concealed by shadow. He calmed himself using his Jedi training, waiting for the guard to show himself. As the door opened, Trevor remembered that the guards swapped in the middle of the hallway. The first guard looked right, away from this position. _Oh, no, _thought Trevor. The sentry walked through the door and turned right into Trevor's hiding spot. Both combatants were surprised by seeing each other, but Trevor got the jump. He ignited his lightsaber and swung at the same time. The guard jumped back out of the way, hitting the back wall. Trevor swung a second time, catching the Dashade's midsection. It grunted a bit, and Trevor, sensing his advantage, moved in and connected on the third swing. Its eyes looked at him with complete surprise. The eyes suddenly rolled in its head, and the body slumped down on the ground, dead.

Trevor performed a quick search of the Dashade's body, and found the key to the door, a security kit, and a pair of macrobinoculars. He grabbed the key, and immediately opened the door to the inside. Knowing he only had a few minutes of surprise left, he wanted to make the best of it. The door slid open, and the Jedi raced through it toward the other side. As Trevor passed the door leading into the crypt, the other guard opened the far door. The guard did not register the danger for another second. Upon seeing the silver blade of Trevor's lightsaber, the sentry reached down and pulled his blaster rifle a fired two quick shots. The first shot nearly caught Trevor in the head, and the Jedi ducked behind an alcove as the second shot headed past. Realizing that he had no time left, Trevor bolted from the alcove and headed straight for the sentry. The Dashade had pulled out its comlink and was screaming into it. Trevor attempted to pull the communicator out of his hand, but the Dashade was able to keep hold of the device. Trevor's actions caused the shouting to stop, but he knew it wouldn't be for long. He reached out again, this time attempting to pull the blaster instead. This time was successful, the blaster flew down the corridor towards Trevor. He did not even attempt to catch the blaster; it sailed past and slid across the floor. The Dashade bellowed loudly, not bothering with the comlink any more. Both combatants raced towards each other, meeting halfway between the crypt door and the opposite entryway.

When the two were within close proximity, Trevor's blade seemed to move of its own volition. It swung for a head shot first, but the Dashade ducked underneath, grazing its' head along the wall. Trevor brought the blade down, reversing its course. The Dashade tried to move out of the way, but the blade caught him in the midsection. It dropped down to one knee, and tried to respond with its own attack. Trevor anticipated the attack and hopped out of the way of the vibroblade that the Dashade was wielding. Unfortunately for the Dashade, the ferocity of the attack caused the vibroblade to lodge itself into the stone wall. It tried to pull the blade out, but due to the embedded depth, the Dashade could not pull it out. Trevor seized upon this and immediately swung his blade, dissecting the arm that was trying to pull out the blade from the Dashade's body. The Dashade, upon this final attack, passed out and collapsed against the wall.

Trevor finished his swing, turning around and starting towards the main door. As he took the first step, the door opened and the final two Dashade stepped into the hall. They could see past the Jedi to their companion slumped against the wall. What really caught their attention was the vibroblade and appendage vibrating against the wall. The pair immediately raised their blasters and loosed a volley against the Jedi. Only one of the four shots fired caused Trevor to move quickly out of the way. It caught the edge of his robes at about the same spot that Mace had singed earlier that day. Trevor moved in while they fired, and was close enough to swing wildly at the pair. They both jumped back a couple of meters and fired again at Trevor. The shots this time were nearly synchronized such that both shots barely missed Trevor, causing more laser scarring on his robes. Trevor rebounded on the second volley to deflect the laser fire back at the attacker. Both again had to duck out of the way, each nearly taking the bolt in the chest. Trevor moved in to closer contact, swung at the first, catching him in the chest. It jumped back, but not without a huge gash down the chest. Trevor immediately swung his blade upwards across the second Dashade. His lightsaber caught the wall during the follow-through, causing a shower of sparks to light the hallway. The second Dashade fell down in a heap as Trevor twisted around, bringing his lightsaber to the ready position. The first Dashade fired two more times. The first time the shot hit the roof of the hallway, the second nearly catching Trevor's shoulder. The heat of the blaster shot was felt on both his face and his shoulder. Trevor remembered seeing a move Windu did during their duel and he performed the move correctly as the blade and his saber arm were both extended out, causing the head to roll down the hallway. Trevor extinguished his lightsaber and investigated the remaining guards.

A small glimmer of hope came through as he realized that these Dashade were just like those that he met months ago on Alderaan. They had trounced him in battle then, but today was certainly a different story. He searched the bodies but noted that the gear was basically the same. He left the bodies alone and headed into the sarcophagi room. The room looked exactly the same as before, but it had a different smell than what he expected. He walked toward the middle of the room.

Trevor thought back to what he saw inside the sarcophagus. The mechanisms might have been anything from hidden stairs to a false floor. Remembering the repulsorsled at the bottom of the shaft, he took out one of the security keys and pressed a series of buttons on the key itself. As he pressed a blue key, two indicator lights blinked three times. Trevor stood back from the coffin and watched the entire floor lift up towards the ceiling. Trevor watched it slide into the domed ceiling. He turned back to the hole in the floor, and waited for the repulsorsled. When the sled reached the top of the shaft, it slowed and settled into position. Trevor walked onto it and the indicator lights turned amber. The sled dropped down the shaft slowly, giving Trevor the impression of being truly underground. The time that it took gave him the chance to realize that they were indeed under the surface of the planet. The depths gave Trevor the distinct impression of being buried alive, which gave him the shivers. The sled slowed at the bottom, and gave Trevor a chance to look down at the blast doors.

Trevor walked down the corridor toward the doors, and the closer he got, a feeling of darkness crept into his heart. He'd felt something like this once before, back on Alderaan. He continued to the blast doors. The feeling continued to get stronger the closer he got. It seemed to wash over him, but he concentrated on keeping his balance and took out his lightsaber. There was no sense of life but Trevor did not want to take a chance. He wasn't sure if the security droids seen by Yendis' contact were even in the room, or even on the planet. He reached out with the security key to open the blast doors. Dust blew out from the interior into Trevor's face. His lightsaber gave some light, but the interior lights were starting to illuminate and Trevor got his first real good look at the room.

The circular room contained main ornate statues with a sarcophagus in the center. Around the room were nine different alcoves. Over half the alcoves had statues standing in the middle. The remaining alcoves had the statues leaning to one side; a great place to hide. Trevor moved his vision to the nearest one and was rewarded with a red sensor 'eye'. He crouched into a defensive position and first one, then two, finally four security droids, exactly the same type as the ones on Umgul. Trevor waited, giving them the first opportunity to attack. Sixteen blast shots headed towards Trevor in a matter of a few seconds. Unfortunately, the security droids were not very good shots at moving targets, especially when the target was a Jedi. Due to the vast amount of firepower aimed at him, he could only deflect one shot back into the fray. The deflected shot turned a droid sideways, causing scoring on the right shoulder and a minor breeze away from a nasty step. However, it recovered itself and tried to fire at the Jedi one more time.

This time Trevor went on the offensive. He took a two meter step towards the closest droid, and swung hard at the shoulder. The blade connected, but Trevor's follow up strike went through the middle of the droid, connecting with the three struts, severing them instantly. The top half slid down and fell off. Trevor turned around, approached the next droid who was heading right for him, and shove his blade directly into the 'heart' of the droid. The eye faded to darkness, and as Trevor watched it, it tipped over in slow motion as if someone was willing it to stand on its own. The remaining two took aim and fired at him. Trevor deflected one back to the one that was already damaged, causing it to spark and smoke. The carcass fell backward onto a pile of rubble. The final droid fired at Trevor, but the Jedi anticipated the shot and was able to redirect it back directly into the chest of the droid. The arms and legs flailed like sails in the wind and also collapse. Trevor breathed a sigh of relief, trying to catch his breath. A huge sarcophagus sat in the middle of the room with ornate engravings around the outside. The dark cover had some sort of intricate border on the top. A mural could be seen on the circular ceiling, depicting some sort of large gathering or event. Trevor could still not shake the feeling in the pit of his stomach. The stone coffin did not seem to have any keyhole or security panel on it. Trevor took a deep breath and reached out with the Force to lift the cover off the coffin.

The cover came off easily, lifting slowly nearly half a meter off the sarcophagus. The darkness was suddenly punctured by a red light and the familiar snap-hiss of an activated lightsaber. The red blade stuck up through the stone, cutting it nearly in two. Trevor lifted the cover even higher and his newest antagonist sat up. The lightsaber wielding droid from Ord Mantell sat up and turned directly to Trevor. Once the droid sat up completely, Trevor dropped the stone cover directly on its head. The droid was pushed sideways against the far side of the sarcophagus. The red blade of the lightsaber slashed through the stone, cutting it into half. The droid stood right up, swinging the blade and stepping over the open shell of the sarcophagus. Trevor took a tentative step back, grasped his lightsaber and ignited it as well. The silver and red lights gave an eerie glow to the crypt. The droid swung its saber first, catching Trevor unawares. The blade swung down, catching the robes twice as Trevor jumped out of the way both time. Trevor rebuked the droid and gave a triple move that certainly pushed the droid back towards the remains of the stone cover. Trevor could feel his strength ebbing with each block of the droid's attack. Last time he met a droid like this, Yendis was at his side. Trevor took another breath and tried to block the droid's counterattack. The first strike hit Trevor's left shoulder, causing shards of pain up and down his left side. Trevor twirled away, causing the next two attacks to go wide. He responded with a flurry of his own blows, but he knew that he was weakening.

The silver blade swung in and the red saber came up to block the attack. Trevor felt the blades pushing against one another and pushed even harder. Sparks could be seen showering the two combatants as the strength of the smaller one pushed the red blade back into the shoulder of the other. Trevor suddenly released the blades and took a step backward to keep the other at bay. The droid tried to respond with a killing blow, but Trevor kept hopping out of the way, block the blade down into the stone. Exhaustion was just around the corner for the Jedi and he knew that he needed to be quick on the next attack. Sweat streamed down his neck, pouring into the wound on his shoulder. The two blocked and parried back and forth, nether finding a way through the other's frantic defenses.

Trevor started to reach for the Force to enhance his next swipe. However, he was already moving in a predefined motion. He swung the blade across the chest, however barely knicking the armor on the droid. The next swing, Trevor spun around, outstretching his arm and extending the blade through the mid-section of the droid. Sparks and electric arcs were seen spilling from the middle of the droid as the lightsaber deactivated and the top half of the droid spilled down into the rubble of the crypt. Trevor deactivated his lightsaber after a moment and collapsed to one knee. His shoulder screamed in pain, and it was extremely difficult to move it. Dirt and grime covered his face and laser scarring dotted his cloak. He now had ample time to investigate the bad feeling he'd been having ever since he opened the door. He stood up and limped over to the sarcophagus.

The interior of the sarcophagus was lined with metal and in the middle was an indentation, about where the droid was sitting when the cover landed on it. Trevor reached down, and lifted one of the panels. The panel lifted with relative ease. He looked inside and found a small pyramid shape, exactly the same dimensions as the Sith artifact that was in the Aldaraan Museum. He looked around and could not find a cloth with which to pick it up. He realized that in his state, any Jedi or Sith artifact would require a focusing of the Force to activate it. And as he was as exhausted as he was, he didn't have enough reserves to even push a button. He picked it up, dumped out the contents of the security kit, and placed the artifact inside. After wrapping it around his good shoulder, he limped down the hall, and up to the main viewing chamber.

Trevor pushed the pain away as he walked out of the chamber and headed towards the entrance. He pulled out his comlink and paged E5.

"I need a pick up at this location," and he activated his homing beacon.

In a matter of moments, Trevor saw the Whitecloak appear, hover and land on the stone path. The vibrations of the Whitecloak's engines caused loose rocks to vibrate uncontrollably. Trevor covered his face during the landing process and limped over to the ship. As he neared the ship, he looked over to the side into the grassy area. A rock seemed to be moving of its own volition, towards the ship. The rock seemed to be the shape of an arm. Something seemed to be causing it to move.

"E5, lift up just a few centimeters."

The landing gear slide across the rocks, causing more vibrations into the ground. As Trevor watched a long four-fingered appendage reached out and swiped across the ground as if trying to grab something. Trevor looked around and noted a couple more of them. One was just reaching up towards the air, and Trevor caught sight of a mouth in the middle of the 'hand' and nearly shivered in fear. _No wonder they want people to stay on the path_, Trevor pondered. He lifted himself from his reverie and pulled himself up to the pilot's seat.

"E5, let's get out of here."

The droid lifted off, and headed directly out of the atmosphere.

"E5, head straight for home. Priority one, do not stop for ANY one. And I mean anyone."

The droid acknowledged the command quickly and the Jedi closed his eyes for a quick nap, knowing that the droid would get them straight home.

E5 navigated the ship through the Coruscant airspace and landed on the landing pads. He twittered to Trevor as he reached the pad, and he squeezed the sleep out of his eyes. He climbed down to the landing pad, and slowly walked over to the turbo lift. He gathered himself inside the lift, trying to organize his thoughts. He closed the front of his robes, and placed his hands inside the armsleeves.

Trevor walked off the turbolift towards the Council chambers. The doors opened well before he reached the doors. As Trevor walked in, he noted that there was not an empty seat in the chamber. All of the council members were present and the surprise on Trevor's face could not be any more evident. Trevor's inner defenses were certainly down, but the ashen face that greeted the Council explained the lack of protocol. The disheveled Jedi entered the inner circle and stood at attention in front of Master Yoda, Master Windu and Sir Ki-Adi Mundi.

"Trevor Gul'dan. Glad to see you return." Master Windu greeted him.

"Thank you. I am glad to have returned."

"Found something have you?" Master Yoda chided.

"Yes, Master. I have." Trevor reached down onto his belt and pulled the security kit off. He reached into the bag, pulled out the cloak-covered artifact and broke tradition by walking from the center circle to Master Yaddle. She reached her hand out and Trevor placed it gingerly into her hands. She pulled off the cloak, and twisted the artifact around in the fading light of the Coruscant sun.

"Examine this we will," she stated.

"I am sure that you already know, but I believe that this is a Sith artifact."

"Indeed."

Trevor nodded and exhaled a deep breath, as if coming up for air from a very long swim in cold water. He returned to his spot in the middle circle and brought over the security kit over to Master Yaddle. She took the kit from him, placed it on her lap, and placed the artifact on the arm of her chair. She placed her hand on it, giving the indication that she did not plan on letting it out of here sight at anytime in the near future.

Trevor returned to the circle and noted that Yoda and Windu were raising their eyebrows at each other. He wondered what that was about, but continued to concentrate on standing up straight.

"Done well you have, Trevor. Much danger you faced."

"The Force was with you, as it always is." Mace interjected. The dark-skinned Jedi stared at Trevor. "You need to rest. We will look forward to receiving your full report whenever you are feeling well enough to send it."

Trevor weakly responded, "Very well."

"Well done," Windu responded gently. Trevor nodded and turned away. The undercurrent of anticipation washed over him as he left the room, realizing that the Council probably had more than one of these artifacts sitting around. Master Yaddle was well-known throughout the Order as the one to talk to about such things. Trevor filed that tidbit of information away, and concentrated on keeping one foot in front of the other. He knew his destination was the MedCorp emergency room and it was not that far away, only a few floors down.

He exited the elevator and headed towards the triage room of the healing room. A Bith Jedi healer named Elan Dahai immediate sensed that Trevor was on his last reserves. She reached out and help Trevor down onto a gurney. Trevor muttered a quick thank you, and then passed out. The healer began her work, and the doctors continued to monitor him through the night. Surgical droids worked on his scars and other minor contusions. Trevor did not respond through any of these procedures, but the Healers and nurses did not take any chances. Word filtered through the Order within hours of Trevor's return that a Sith holocron had been recovered recently. Dahai looked down at the Jedi on her table and realized that this was the Jedi who had risked life and limb to recover this artifact. She nodded at the bravery of this unknown Jedi and thanked the Force that there were guardians such as this one who risk their lives to keep peace and justice throughout the galaxy.


	12. Chapter 12

THE HUNTERS

The medical wing was silent early the next morning. The night staff of the Jedi Temple MedCorp watched their newest charge fidget in his bed. He'd slept most of the night, but he seemed to be wanted to be doing something other than sitting up. The medical students were amazed at the speed of the Jedi's recovery, but what was even more amazing to them was the fact that this was the first Miraluka to come into the Medical Wing in some time. They noticed that the Jedi Healer Dahai had been talking to Masters Mace Windu and Ki-Adi Mundi in the corridor to the Med-wing.

"He's going to be fine, but I would suggest that he rest the shoulder for a couple more days. He is in remarkable shape, considering that his worst malady was exhaustion. The numbness of the shoulder had to do with the laceration of a lightsaber to the nerves in his neck. As I said, he is remarkably strong. He will make a full recovery," Dahai whispered

"Good news this is. Released shall he be?" a wizened voice asked from around the corner. Yoda limped with his gimer stick towards the trio.

"Yes, Master. I believe that he can be released at any time."

"Good. Let's not assign anything to him for a while. He's had enough fun for a while." Ki-Adi Mundi made a point of looking at Mace. Windu nodded solemnly. He knew the potential of the Miraluka and wondered if he pushed too hard. Yoda stared at his former padawan, and the two shared another one of those hard-to-read looks. Mundi thanked the doctor and left the corridor, heading off on another errand. Yoda and Windu walked toward the meditation chambers, each lost in their own thoughts.

Trevor's mind raced. Now that he'd finally recovered the artifact that lost on Alderaan, he recounted the difficult time on Alderaan and the fact that now he could handle four times as many and not be any worse for wear. It didn't matter that their weapons still packed a punch. What made Trevor nod most was that he had handled the mission exactly as he was told. Knowing that grabbing the artifact was the priority and not getting killed by a patrol of some sort was really remarkable.

He meditated on the outstanding questions that were floating around in his mind. _Who was behind all of this? What are their intention? Where are they running all of these strings from? What was that Chev, an apprentice or Master of the Jedi Arts? How does Yendis fit into all of this?_ Trevor mulled over these questions, over and over again. He tried to find the strings that bound every question together. Trevor assumed that the Council sent an ExploriCorp team out to Necropolis to gather up all the remaining items that were in the crypt. Trevor's mission was simple: recover the artifact. _Easier said than done_, thought Trevor. If there were any patrols, or even other Dashade coming to relive those on Necopolis, he most likely would not have made it out alive.

Other questions cropped up. _I wonder who Kimber's new padawan is going to be? Why does Shudo need to be there? What about me; am I ready to train someone?_ The last question was easily answered. Even though there had been times in the past when a Master / Padawan pairing had been made during times of distress, Trevor felt that to give a padawan the type of training he received, he should be able to give his complete attention to the training. There was so much to learn about the Force even Shudo and Yoda were still but students to the Force. He felt comfortable about his padawan answer, so he put that off to the side. He returned to the initial question: _Who was behind all of this?_ It did make a sick kind of sense that one person had to be behind it, but who, why, and more important, what was the next move in this intricate chess game.

Dahai studied the monitors hooked up to the Miraluka from the healer station. He noticed the heart rate of the Jedi actually slow down even more than usual. Dahai looked up and saw a stoic Miraluka face. The blindfold was left on, more out of courtesy to the staff than to the patient. Most had never seen under the blindfold of a Miraluka, though the Jedi Healers expected it, the new medical residents had not been exposed to all the species in the Temple yet. The breathing rate of the Jedi slowed even more.

"Yes, I think he's ready to be released," she declared.

The Bith Jedi Healer walked into Trevor's private room, and informed his patient that he was free to leave with doctor's orders to take it easy for a couple of days to give the shoulder a chance to finish healing. Trevor thanked the healer, and promised to follow her instructions to the letter. He gathered up his tattered cloak and headed directly to his apartment. The small confines were dark when he arrived. He left the lights off, disrobed, and changed into a clean set of garments. The scars, burns and tears probably could have been fixed, but Trevor decided that it would be better to give the robes to others who might need it instead. He wore a white shirt and tan lapels draped over his shoulder with dark pants. Trevor brought the torn garments to the nearest tailor, and left instructions with the protocol droid who answered the door that these robes were to be fixed up and delivered to the poor. He then headed to the Council waiting room, and walked out onto the balcony overlooking the city. He faced towards the rising sun, that had just started to crest the horizon. He breathed deeply, gathering relatively clean air, surprising on a city-planet like Coruscant.

The sun slowly rose, a beacon of hope and life rising against the darkness. Trevor watched the sun and realized that the situations he had been involved with recently were beckoning with the Dark Side. He felt that he was nearing the end, knowing that one or two pieces would like these puzzles together. He might not be the one to bring this puppeteer to justice, but he would assist the Order to find this rogue.

As the sun's first rays hit the Temple, Trevor walked back into the Council Spire. The doors were closed to the Chamber, but Trevor knew that he needed to work on his report. He wasn't quite ready to face the Council yet, so he headed to his apartment and began to write his report. He spent nearly three hours reworking the details of the report. He did not shirk away from the details of the battles, but he needed to give all the information he had. He reviewed the report, made some semantic changes, and sent the report to the Council. He stretched out gingerly, trying to get the kinks out of his back. He grabbed a quick meal, and headed down to a Jedi instructor's office to get a list of species that an advanced Jedi would study. The instructor thought it was rather strange for a full Knight to ask, but Trevor sheepishly said that he thought he'd brush up on species he might run into on missions. The instructor smiled, handed Trevor a datapad of twenty species, and told him to return the datapad with detailed information on fifteen of the species on the list. Trevor laughed and thanked the instructor.

Trevor spent the afternoon in the archives, working on the list, blocking out his questions, letting his unconscious self deal with the outstanding questions he had run over. He returned to the instructor's office and returned the datapad. The instructor droid that was there thanked Trevor for returning the assignment and said that his score would be sent to him. He returned the thanks, and headed back to his quarters. He made himself a quick meal, and decided to get some more rest. He examined his shoulder and noticed that there was a slight scar where the red lightsaber had hit him. It did not hurt to the touch, but Trevor vowed to not let that happen again. He washed his face in the refresher and headed off to bed.

The next day, Trevor realized that he needed to change his power cells. Every Jedi took the chance to keep a full power cell in their lightsabers. Trevor went directly back to the merchant who sold him his first cell, and was greeting like a conquering hero. The merchant had such a good run of Jedi coming to the store that he gave Trevor the full tour of the store. The owner, upon hearing a request for another couple of power cells, nearly fell over in gratitude, trying to get Trevor to take the cells for free. They bickered about price for a few moments, but in the end, Trevor paid the same price he had many months earlier. He took the rest of the morning, walking around Coruscant and visiting shops and vendors as a way of relaxing. Some of the Nexu Clan were around, but Trevor decided that he needed to clear his mind. At midday, he returned to the Archives to study some more. With the amount of studying he had done in the past two days, he felt that he would tip over in boredom. _Now I know why I did so poorly in classes. _He returned to his room, made a quick meal, and decided to get to bed early. It took him a while to get comfortable, but once he found his center, he drifted off to a troubled sleep.

The Ord Mantell alleyway seemed rather familiar. The café that he had met Yendis for the first time was around the next corner. He turned the corner and was surprised to find an underground tunnel, similar to Silais Torr's underground lair, bending to the left. He followed the corridor and it came out into the Sith-Jedi exhibit on Alderaan. He turned around and he was facing the arena on Umgul. Every time he turned, he was in a different location. Metallos. Coruscant. Tatooine. Fractured pictures of places he'd been. The Necropolis crypts, even the training room in the Temple. After the first couple of turns, he heard someone faintly calling his name. "Trevor!. Trevor. Trevor. Trevor" He searched high and low, racing around a corner, and unable to find the source of the voice. He turned a corner, and was on a huge starship. The voice continued to call him, but alarms went off each time he reached a door. He knew that he was in big trouble, and he needed to call someone. But who to call? The anxiety of the situation continued to eat away at his willpower. Trevor went through the list of people who'd respond and decided on Yendis. He turned around and noticed a communication terminal.. His com terminal, against the far wall. He walked up to it, punched in a code that he thought might have been Yendis'. "Yendis, I'm on .." the rest of the conversation seemed mumbled. Trevor thought he knew where he was, but gave some sort of gibberish answer and knew he was right. He got the encrypted message signal from his com terminal……

_Trevor woke from his dream with the hairs on his arms raised._ That signal was REAL. I didn't imagine that._ He looked around, senses going on high alert, trying to spot anything out of place in his apartment. The sound of encrypting a message was very clear. He listened carefully, but could not hear any movement. The lights on the com-terminal blinked, indicating that there were two new messages on his terminal that he had not answered yet. There was also an indicator showing a newly sent message within the last hour. He cocked his head, knowing that he'd been asleep the entire time. He changed his vision, looking at the comstation. There was a fist-sized device plugged into one of the access ports on the side of the terminal. There was also a slight singed smell. A light glinted off of the device, which showed it to be the slicer droid he had recovered from the Chev. He looked over to the drawer he had locked it into, and realized there were exposed wires showing that it had sliced the lock. Trevor's face squinted in concentration, reached out with the Force, and pulled the droid out of the slot. He pulled it towards him, and slowed it down as it neared the middle of the room. Small panels opened and closed, trying to grip on something. Trevor realized that he'd made a major mistake keeping this droid in his room. He walked over to his utility belt and pulled out his comlink._

_"Security, report to room 1154."_

_Trevor put the comlink down, and concentrated on the droid floating in the middle of the room, reminding him of a training session when he was a youngling. Within three minutes, a security team of three Jedi opened the outer door of Trevor's apartment and entered the room. The first Jedi to enter the room noticed the droid floating in midair, and reach out to grab it from Trevor's Force-grasp. Trevor felt the tug of the other, and released the droid to the security team. The second Jedi walked up to it, and immediately identified it._

_"It's an espionage droid. What happened?"_

_Trevor walked over to the human Jedi standing near the door._

_"This droid just sent a couple of message from my com unit."_

_"Where did it come from?"_

_"It was recovered from one of my missions. It was inactive at the time. Please take this down to the analysis room immediately."_

_"Certainly, sir."_

_"I also need the services of an Jedi investigator proficient in tracing com-messages immediately."_

_"Yes, sir. We will send one to your room."_

_The fact that an espionage droid was loose in the Jedi Temple would definitely cause a stir. When the Jedi Security team left, Trevor went to his stash of datacards, placed it into one of the other available slots, and copied the messages to the datacard. Putting the datacard into his datapad, he was able to dissect the message enough to know that one of the sent messages and the received message was encrypted and transferred from a hyperspace relay station. Trevor knew that he could not break the code on his own. The destination of the communication was a generic alphanumeric name that made absolutely no sense to the Jedi. The receiving message was also from the same relay station. So whoever received the message also sent a message recently._

_Trevor pulled his com-unit from his belt, and contacted E5 back to his room. The droid responded affirmatively. Trevor figured that E5 might be able to crack the code. He turned his attention to the second sent message. The message was sent to Xeddon Nine. Trevor felt a cold chill go down his spine, when he read that the message was sent directly to Princess Azulia Ulosa, his charge from his Trials. The message was identified as a High Priority, and the droid used Trevor's name as the sender. The short message made all the hair stand on Trevor's arms. _

**I have run into a nasty tangle here on Coruscant. I desperately need the help of someone of your station and influence. Meet me as soon as you can at Transit Port 67.**

Trevor looked at his com-station, and realized that there was no response back. He knew right away that he was in some serious trouble now, and he only had one course of action: admit his mistake. He gathered his robes and headed to the Council chambers. Not knowing who would be there, he decided to bring it to the attention of the Council before any more damage could be done.

E5 rolled up to the door and Trevor strode up to him.

"I need to know if you can decode these message on this datapad."

The droid whistled at him, in a slightly condescending manner.

"Look, I need to know if you can do this without any lip."

A sheepish coo eminated from the droid, and Trevor slid the datapad into E5's console. "When you get it translated, interrupt me. Now follow along. I need to talk to the Council." Trevor exited his room and noticed that a analysis team was headed towards his room. He motioned them inside and prepared himself for a berating fit for a Jedi who royally screwed up.

The doors to the Council Chambers opened as Trevor approached. He expected one or two of the Council members might be awake and in the chambers; he did not, however, expect the crowd he did, though upon quick reflection, it made sense. Four Jedi Masters stood in a loose group in the middle of the room; Oppo Rancisis, Jedi Commander; Saesee Tiin, the best Jedi pilot; Yaddle, the historian who was in charge of dangerous and tricky artifacts and Mace Windu, the head of the Jedi Order. Trevor realized that these people were the first responders to priorities like this. Windu turned towards the open door and Trevor got the full force of his 'this-had-better-be-good' look. The Miraluka knew he never wanted to be on the other end of that look with a lightsaber. Yaddle's expression was one of guarded anticipation as if she were to witness a huge argument. Rancisis and Tiin's expressions were totally unreadable. Trevor walked up to the group and immediately began to explain the situation. Yaddle leaned her head to one side, noticing that E5 was following the Jedi. Her eyes squinted slightly at this break in protocol, but turned her face back to Trevor as he began to explain the situation. Trevor worked at keeping his voice even and calm, which belied the sinking butterflies in his stomach.

"Masters, I have a problem."

"So it would seem."

Trevor swallowed, soothing the sinking feeling slightly.

"One of the items that I have picked up during my recent mission to Umgul was an espionage droid. I brought it back to Coruscant, placed it in a locked drawer, and didn't think anything about it, until last night when it activated. I woke up from a dream and found it sending and receiving these messages. It is currently active and I gave it to the investigation team to bring to the analysis room for further study. These are the message it had," and Trevor showed them his datapad with a copy of the messages. "As you can see by this display, two of those message are encrypted. The analysis team, I am hoping, is working on it, I will follow that up."

Trevor's voice slowly sped up and by the end of his monologue, he'd built up such a head of steam that Yaddle bent her head down to prevent the smile that creased her face. She'd seen many a padawan admit a mistake and seeing a full-fledged Knight act like a padawan was extremely humorous.

"But we have a, uh, problem. A high priority message was sent from my station to Princess Azulia Ulosa telling her to meet me at Transit Port 67. Where is that location?" Trevor looked between the senior Jedi, and Saesee Tinn responded.

"That's a mass public docking station. Hardly the sort of place one would expect to receive a princess."

"Exactly, and I am hoping that with your permission we send another priority message with another's signature to tell her to disregard this. I will volunteer to …"

E5 interrupted Trevor's fierce diatribe with a series of incessant twittering. The droid wheeled forward, pushing into Trevor, trying to catch his attention. The younger Jedi placed his hands on the droid, silencing it for a short time. He connected his comlink to the datapad, and received a one-line translation.

YOU JUST RECEIVED ANOTHER MESSAGE.

"Display it."

The timestamp on the message was twenty minutes after the original message. All it said was:

TREVOR. I AM SENDING THIS FROM ORBIT. I AM ON MY WAY. AZULIA.

Trevor felt his face turn three shades of red. In thinking about the message she received, it made sense that someone of her station, after saving her life by dropping nearly five kilometers from an observation post to fall on a podracer and take down a bounty hunter that was tasked with killing the princess, who was the renowned podracer Zynonyx. Knowing her impulsive nature, he shook his head and exclaimed, "This is not good."

The Council members each looked at one another, listening to the semi-silent defeat in Trevor's voice. Mace Windu looked at the Council members and all nodded at him. The four knew that the Jedi had learned his lesson. There was no need to berate him at this point; the Jedi was doing more than any of the Council could have done. Windu's uncharacteristically gentle voice turned Trevor's attention back to the circle.

"Until the analysis of the coded signals is complete, we can only assume that these were sent to the mystery individual connected with the attack on Umgul. This has to be part of some kind of a hostile plot."

Trevor nodded, "That is my feeling as well."

"A mass public transit docking terminal will be extremely busy, extremely difficult to observe and defend."

"But on the other hand," Trevor interjected, "if they are looking for a reason to bring out these droids out into the open than what better way than a public assassination of a ruling family?"

"Interesting point." Windu's eyebrows shot up.

"And who better than to bring out a public figure than the Jedi who saved her life?"

"In the past, these droids had been concealed as mere guard droids or some sort of common labor unit, yes?"

"True, but on Ord Mantell," Trevor countered, "the one 'super droid' was killing people methodically, testing itself for some sort of future action. If that Chev was controlling it, whoever was the Chev's master, or client..."

Windu nodded. "We need to investigate the Coruscant security force for unexplained disappearances, especially near the transit docks. We need to investigate around the docks where these droids, or controllers, might be operating.

"E5, get that started." The droid whistled an affirmative response and rolled out of the room. The four Masters looked with a bit of surprise at Trevor's brashness.

He sheepishly continued, "I wanted to get a head start. Masters, I apologize for the interruption, but I felt it was important that you hear it from me directly."

Yaddle's face had a strange expression on it as she spoke to Trevor. "Perhaps, in the future, when storing confiscated technologies, remove the power cells you should."

"Yes, Master." Trevor watched her face, and he noticed the slight smirk on her face. He figured she could find humor in just about any mistakes. Windu stole Trevor's attention.

"I assume that you will be wanting to head up the investigation around the docking facility."

Trevor thought, Well, let's see how bad I screwed up. Out loud, "I bow to the will of the Council."

"You know these droids best. May the Force be with you."

Trevor bowed, turned and nearly ran out of the Chamber. He headed back to his room, and knew that he wasn't going to be able to sleep. E5 was already back into his room, accessing the holonet. Trevor walked by him, noting that the security and investigation teams had long gone. He placed his head on his pillow on his bed, and immediately crashed, trying to gather a few more hours of sleep to prepare for the next days' preparations. E5 heard the snores coming from the other room, turning his dome to see what kind of animal they let into the Temple these days.

Trevor awoke after just a couple of hours, enough to settle the nerves. E5 rolled into the room as soon as he heard Trevor stir. A datacard was extended from one of E5's maipulator arms. Trevor reached out and thanked the droid. He quickly dressed and walked into the main living area to review the information E5 had gathered.

There was a summary of what activity there was during the time that Trevor fell asleep and when he contacted them. A notation was made that the security team tore out the door to get a better idea of what it did exactly. The timeline showed that the droid sliced the lock on the door, used a small repulsorlift to maneuver over to the comstation. It plugged in, hacked its way into the panel. Due to the security within the Temple, it could not use Trevor's code or his voice. Once it sliced in, it immediately sent the encrypted first message to the relay station. The technicians noted that they could not follow the message from that point.

The contents of the first message were noted and Trevor reviewed those notes. The message was a self-diagnostics, status, a download of all the most recent mail Trevor had received or sent. It also included the origin within the Temple. A simple message of AWAITING ORDERS. The recipient was none other than the mysterious TALON. Trevor had this feeling that he was getting very close to revealing who this mysterious individual might be. He read on.

The second message, the only received message, contained a list of tasks that the droid was to accomplish. If anyone could have seen the look on Trevor's face, it would have shocked them at how white his face got as he continued down the list. The technicians had made a notation of the tasks directly below.

- Slice into the system and attempt to set up a remote access link to the computer system in the Jedi Temple _(A technician noted that the droid actually tried twice, unsuccessfully,)_.

- Send a message _(text was included in the download request)_ to Princess Azulia.

- Cover tracks and erase evidence of tampering.

- Disengage from unit and kill the occupant of the room.

- Once occupant was killed, proceed to Room LE-253 and eliminate occupant.

_A few things jumped out at Trevor as he read the list three more times. The droid never sent a schematic of the Jedi Temple. Someone who had a familiarity with the Jedi Temple would know that the Room LE-253 was the quarters of Master Shudo Laan. Trevor noted that the droid was only able to complete two of the five tasks. The fact that someone had knowledge of the living quarters shook the reality of the situation. _Talon isn't playing sabaac really well. One doesn't show their cards, unless they think they have the upper hand. He dropped the list on the kitchenette counter, and paced the room. He paced for nearly fifteen minutes, wondering who would cause harm to Shudo.

Suddenly, a memory sparked in Trevor's mind, causing him to grab his cloak and head out of his quarters. I need to visit the Archives. The idea flashed into his mind so fast that he did not even realize he was halfway down the turbolift to the Jedi Archives. He entered the main entrance, looking up at the volumes of data in the myriad of shelvings. Jocasta Nu noticed that he was standing in the main accessway.

"Master Jedi, I know you have been here many times," chided Nu.

"True Master Archivist, but never on such a mission of importance." Trevor turned his face towards the ancient archivist. "I need access to the Jedi Order's records, particularly to the records of all of Master Shudo Laan's padawans.

Nu cocked her head to one side. "I can get you the public records for that information, but the remained is stored in the Great Holocron. I am sorry but you will not be able to access that without permission from the Jedi Council."

Trevor nodded and followed Nu's beckoning wave. He was shown to a private screening room and Nu closed the door as she left. Reaching down, he punched in the request for Shudo Laan's padawan list. Even though his master had been in the order for quite some time, he only had three padawans to his name. Trevor knew that Kymber and himself were not the antagonists, because both succeeded in the Trials. Even though the temptation to review those records, he pushed the list down, and opened the file labeled VIKO TALAAN.

Upon reading the name, a cold chill gripped his spine. Talaan… Talon… The semantics of the pronunciation caused Trevor to pause slightly. He opened the file, and began to study the logs of Padawan Viko Talaan, a male Togruta whose physical strength was equally offset by his lack of patience. A notation under the file caught Trevor's attention:

Viko was a very promising padawan Physically powerful. Excellent duelist. Problems keeping it reigned in. Lacked control and discipline. Extremely impatient. Moderation of impatience causing nearly violent impatience. Trials should be an interesting test..

Insight serve Trevor best. Before he even got to the section on the Trial, he realized that the Trial must have involved something that required patience first. Trevor opened the Trials section, and was surprised to find that he was correct. The details of the mission showed that Viko was sent to a planet where two different cultures took part in fostering, the exchange of two children to the other's family and culture and raised within that culture to better understand the differences between the two. Viko was sent to the planet, which surprisingly was unnamed, to oversee the reintegration of the fostered children into their birth family. The political situation made the entire exchange volatile, even after extended diplomacy. The exchange was a very touchy subject. Viko's objective was to keep the situation smooth. Unfortunately, a number of people were injured during the exchange, and one almost died. Shudo's notes were very harsh and truthful. Shudo gambled on this mission for Viko, and his gamble failed.

Soon after his dismissal from the initiate ranks, Viko was sent to the ExplorCorp, which was sent out to explore newly discovered archeological sites for ancient Sith and Jedi artifacts. He went off for three years with the Corp, out on the outskirts of the Unknown Territories. Contact between Shudo and Viko was extremely short and terse, giving Trevor the feeling that Viko was trying to cut off all ties. Problems even cropped up during his tenure within the Corps as Viko tried to do things that an ExploriCorp member should not do. Specifics were not given in the file, but the tone of the notes seemed to indicate that Viko's impatience seemed to get the best of him yet again. On his last mission with the Corps, Viko had commandeered a ship and vanished. It was assumed in the notes that he stole a small two-person shuttlecraft, but there was no evidence to prove that he did indeed steal it. Records show that Viko told his supervisor he was using the ship to go across the planet's surface to help another team out and he'd return in "a couple of hours". After two days, there was no sign of any evidence that he crashed or got lost. The issue did not get the full attention of the investigation team due to another event, but Trevor's access was denied.

He rubbed the back of his neck reviewing his notes and the files. All indications lead Trevor to believe that Viko was, or is, the essence of Chaos. If Jedi were termed light, and Sith dark, Viko was whatever he felt he wanted to be. The impatience shown throughout the Togruta's tenure within the Jedi Order cause Trevor no small amount of concern. He was a random as a blaster rifle, and not nearly patient enough to realize that he was a thermal detonator ready to go off a the drop of a engine whine. This is not going to be pretty, thought the Miraluka about his fellow Padawan. The pieces started to fall into place. Trevor realized that if Viko was behind all of the droids, Dashade, the espionage droid, the Chev, all of it, he was doing it to exact revenge on Shudo Laan. Shudo had been trying to moderate Viko, changing him into something that he did not want to be. The danger signals went off in his head. If he went after Shudo, he'd easily go after Kymber and her padawan-to-be. Rumor was floating that Shudo and Kymber were negotiating with someone in regards to the newest padawan. Trevor pushed that from his mind, downloaded his notes and cleared the screen. He strode purposefully out of the Archives and directly to the Council chambers. This was information that needed to reach the members and Trevor also did not want to have his master unaware of the danger that he or Kymber might be facing.

Trevor entered the chamber with the entire council present. All heads turned towards the determined face of Trevor as he walked towards the center of the room. The silence of the members added to the gravity of the situation as Trevor began to divulge the information that he just reviewed.

"Masters, I believe I have found the identity of the mysterious contact known as Talon."

Windu cocked his head to one side. "The individual behind the assault on Umgul?"

"Yes. Viko Talaan, Master Shudo's first padawan. Information has reached me that the espionage droid was supposed to eliminate me. The last task that it was given was to kill Master Shudo. It was given Master Shudo's exact room number. No schematics were sent through the droid. It makes me believe that Talaan is behind all of this, including the droids and the Chev and the Essada kidnapping."

"This is a serious accusation against a former padawan."

"It is a hunch. Based on my research, Talaan is impatient, impulsive, and he may even hold a grudge. He may be waiting for the right time to exact revenge. And the best way to this may be to discredit or destroy the one person that destroyed his life. He may think that. If that is the case, we need to get a hold Master Shudo and Jedi Knight Kymber Thomree."

Windu shook his head. "You have no evidence that Talaan is even still alive."

Trevor took a deep breath. "Understood. It is a feeling that I have. Something just is not right. It's been bothering me for months. Not knowing who Talon is, that name has rung a bell in the back of my mind so long that it has finally come to me that it may be him. We don't know where he's gone. We do know that he has disappeared. We do know a shuttle was missing…"

The quietest member of the Council spoke up. Yaddle's voice pierced Trevor's tirade. "Gone he is. Alive he may be."

Trevor turned to the Jedi historian, thankful for an ally. "And that is what worries me, Master Yaddle. If he is alive, I know that he failed his Trials…"

Yaddle nodded, causing Trevor to pause. "Remember we must," she said, turning to the others, "the events that lead up to his disappearance."

Windu slowly nodded his head, as if recalling the events from memory. Trevor, having just studied his file, recalled the events, nearly verbatim of the things in his file.

"Ah!" exclaimed Yaddle. "More to this story, there is."

Trevor opened his mouth to speak, but immediately recalled a blank spot at the end of the padawan's file. He bowed slightly to the historian, and she spoke with surprising steadiness. "The mission the ExploriCorp were involved in, dangerous it was. A ship they found. Very old. Very strange. Part of the ancient Sith empire. Artifacts they found aboard this ship."

Trevor's eyebrows raised up slightly. "Based on this new information, it would make sense that he would hire Dashade to find a Sith artifact at the Museum in Alderaan."

Yaddle continued, "Left he did to find help."

"What happened after he left?"

"Boarded the ship a small team did. A Sith ship. Heavy defenses, many traps. Very dangerous."

"How many Jedi died?"

"Serious injuries, but none dead. The ship, destroyed. Perhaps Talaan found something. Took it with him and fled. Destroyed any evidence left behind."

The silence in the room while she related the events gave credence to the seriousness of Trevor's accusation. He knew he was taking a risk, but there was no other evidence to support his theory.

"If he did flee … And if he took something, he is extremely dangerous. Not only to Master Shudo and Knight Thomree, but to the entire order."

Trevor circled his vision around the chamber. Looks were exchanged, head leaned towards one another in whispered conversation. Trevor refocused his sight on Yoda, who also took note of the uneasiness in the room.

"Agree with you, the council does. Protect the princess, but uncover this plot. Learn what you can. Follow what leads you find. Find this Talon."

Windu interjected, "If he is dead, he is no threat to us. If he had no part in any of this, we will simply be glad to know that he wasn't killed. If he is behind this, he must be found."

"We need to get a message to Master Shudo as soon as possible. He need to be made aware of the situation," Trevor persisted.

Adi Gallia spoke up. "We will take care of it."

Trevor nodded. "Any advice, any knowledge about Viko Talaan that he can impart, have him contact me directly at his earliest convenience."

"We will do all that is possible. Proceed with your investigation of the docks and your preparations of the defense of the Princess. May the Force be with you."

"Thank you." Trevor bowed to the Council, staring at Windu and Yoda for a moment longer. He turned, cloak billowing behind him as he walked out of the chambers. The Council members immediately began discussing options between each other as the doors started to closed. Trevor's stomach started to growl as he reached the turbolift. He headed down to the common area, and ate a larger meal than normal for midday. He reviewed all the information he had and was certain that his conclusion about Talaan was correct. All his training, all of his senses believed that this was the person behind everything that was not closed. He thought back, even to the Senatorial Reception many months ago, and realized that all of these encounters were seemingly related. An hour had gone by while he reviewed and ate. He left the cafeteria and headed towards the common sparring area within the lightsaber training room. A group of younglings were being taught by a large Whiphid Jedi. The Whiphid was just finishing up her class when she notice the Jedi by the door. She turned to her class and had them line up against a side wall. She motioned Trevor forward.

"Master Luthana," greeted Trevor.

"Jedi Gul'dan, it has been a while since you have been in the sparring room. What can I do for you?"

"I was wondering if you had some open sparring time. It has been some time since I have had any lightsaber training or dueling with someone larger than myself."

She bowed to the young Weapon Master. "I have heard that you have been very busy over the last few months. I have talked with Shudo on many occasions about his fighting style. I'd be happy to assist you. Class, please stay outside the blue line and keep your Force use to a minimum. We will discuss fighting styles in a few moments."

The Whiphid and the Miraluka sparred for nearly twenty minutes. Trevor took on the roll of a training dummy, pumping up his defenses and not retaliating against Luthana. She would make one or two strikes at him, but would stop when a opening occurred. Sweat flowed down Trevor's neck as he got more and more comfortable with a larger opponent. In the last five minutes of the session, Trevor decided to work out his shoulder. Luthana made to attack, but Trevor surprised her with a quick parry of her green blade. His silver one made a swipe across the middle and she blocked it quickly. Luthana nodded to Trevor and both disengaged their sabers. They bowed to one another, returning each other's grins. A student's hand shot into the air.  
"Master, what was that move you made on Master Luthana?"

It took Trevor a moment to realize that the student was talking to him. He stood up, turned towards Luthana, seeking her permission to speak. When she nodded her head in his direction, he replied to the student.

"Your fighting style is something you will learn over time and experience. I hope that one day you find your own style. I have been a Jedi for less than a year, and I can tell you that I am constantly learning about style, form, and how to use my abilities to keep balance in the universe. Good luck." Trevor left the room with every student staring at him, wondering who he was to learn such an advanced move.

Trevor took a skycab to Transit Port 67. It was a fifteen minute ride. He wanted to get a quick look around and talk with the harbormaster. The port was extremely busy for the middle of the afternoon. The discussions with the harbor master were simplistic. After explaining general what the situation was, it was agreed upon that Azulia's transport would not be delayed, but there would not be anyone leaving the ship right away. Trevor would be notified when her ship entered the traffic pattern. The security forces were to remove the public from the area if Trevor saw any problems that might endanger innocents. The timing of her arrival was still unclear, but based on average astrogation charts, the earliest that she would arrive would be between midday and early evening. He reviewed and turned things upside down, but still wasn't sure that he had everything set up correctly. He thanked the harbor master, promising to return early in the morning. Upon leaving the security room, Trevor walked down towards the loading platforms.

The public bustled about, jostling and trying to keep from losing their footing. Many beings moved around the Jedi, not wanting to be delayed in getting to their destination. Trevor watched the ship, looked around at the hurried crowds, wondering where at the port Azulia would be landing. As he looked around, he got the sense that he was being watched. He tried to break through the crowds with his vision, but no one figure came to the top. He decided to leave the area, until the next day. He boarded a skycab that had just pulled up and headed back to the Temple. A dark hooded figure leaned against the back wall, watching the Jedi board the cab. A gloved hand reached up and rubbed the chin, as if wondering how the Jedi could interfere with the plans that were already in motion. The figure pulled out a pair of macrobinoculars and watched the cab, wondering if he could take out the cab and get another bounty.

Trevor returned to the Temple, still troubled about his plans. He decided to find the foremost authority on tactics, Oppo Rancisis. The Council was not available in the chambers, but Trevor inquired and found that Rancisis was in a meditation room. He walked to the main meditation room hall, waiting at the end for Rancisis to complete the meditation cycle. The aged Jedi Master exited the meditation chamber and noticed the young Jedi at the opposite end of the hall. Rancisis turned in the direction of the Miraluka and hailed a greeting.

"Trevor Gul'dan, what can I do for you today?"

"Master Rancisis, I have need for your tactical experience." Trevor explained everything that he had prepared since he left the Council earlier that day. "I was curious, if there was something that I was missing? Is there anything that I might have overlooked?"

Rancisis' head nodded, listening, analyzing the situation, drawing conclusions and dropping unsuccessful ones. Trevor added comments and thoughts throughout the short walk. He recognized the stern concentration of the Jedi Master, deciding to stop talking and giving Oppo time to think about the entire situation. Rancisis stopped in the middle of the corridor, nearly knocking over a protocol droid as he stopped.

"If he's going to be there," Rancisis started, the 'he' being Talaan, "he'd probably be able to sense you."

"So, it should best to practice hiding wouldn't it?"

"That wouldn't hurt. We don't know if he's going to be there, though."

"No, we don't." A slight pause. "Have I missed anything? Are there any holes in the plans, from a tactical point of view."

Rancisis turned to the newly appointed Weapon Master, adjusting his posture and tone to add wariness to the Jedi's preparation.

"You may want to call in the assistance of additional backup. You don't know what you are going to be facing."

"I may try to find some of the Nexu Clan members."

"Excellent! You have trained together, you should be able to work together well. I expect to have a report on this when you have the chance. May the Force be with you."

"Thank you, Master. And with you."

Trevor bowed to Rancisis, and raced down the hall, wondering who would be available for a Nexu Clan dinner in Trevor's room tonight.

Noa Aquila, R'We'Nok and Dutana sat around Trevor's table, laughing at a story about when the four were younglings in the Temple. Some story about Noa and R'We'Nok getting into trouble of something they did jolted Trevor back to the present. He'd found these three sitting together in the Archives, trying to do some research on one thing or another. Trevor quickly catered a small dinner for the small group, and had it delivered to his room. The cabinet had been replaced earlier in the day, and the security sweep of the room showed that no listening devices were active in his room. Trevor started to clear the table, and was bring the spare dishes into the sink, when Noa pushed an elbow into R'We'Nok's ribs.

Noa whispered, "Here it comes, the real reason we're here."

"Do you think there's something up?" Dutana asked.

"After the alarm last night, I'm sure there is something up. Let's ask Mr. Jedi Knight when he comes back into the room." Trevor and Noa had been friends for a very long time, and the slight jibe was normal amongst the clan.

Trevor walked back into the room, carrying a tray of stimcaf for everyone, except Dutana. She was supplied with a mug of ammonia, due to her unique body chemistry. All of the Nexu Clan learned early on that salt had a narcotic effect on Arcona. Trevor made sure that Dutana had no salt in any of her food. He past out the drinks and was on his way back to the kitchenette when he realized that the room had grown silent. Three heads faced their host, anticipating the next words out of Trevor's mouth.

"I need your help."

Noa nodded his head. "We were kind of figuring that."

"Here's the situation. Early this morning, an espionage droid that I inadvertently brought into the Temple escaped out of that cabinet right there," pointing to the recently replaced door and lock, "connected to my comm-station, sent out two messages and received a third. Based on a message sent from the droid, the Princess Azulia Ulosa of Xeddon Nine is arriving on Coruscant at Transit Port 67 sometime after midday tomorrow, could be anytime between noon and the next day. She believes that I am in trouble. As part of my Trials, I saved her life." Trevor paused slightly, "Twice. She's an impulsive princess with a very bright head on her shoulders." Thinking back to that time quickly, Trevor never realized how impulsive he was in his actions, nearly matching her own impulsiveness.

Returning to the present, Trevor continued. "The reason I am asking for your help is that I believe that I have figured out that Viko Talaan may be behind the super-droids that have been plaguing systems recently." Before continuing, Trevor inhaled deeply, knowing that he did not have the full evidence available to make this accusation a second time. "As you may or may not know, Viko Talaan used to be the Jedi Padawan of Master Shudo Laan. He is a large Togruta, and is impatient; hence the reason for his failure in the Trials. He has never been able to learn patience. When he left the ExploriCorp, the team he was assigned had been sent on an exploration of an ancient Sith ship. We may have an emergence of a Sith. I do not know if he will be here or not, but I need your help in preventing any harm to come to Princess Azulia."

Trevor laid out the rest of his plan to the rest of the Clan, giving them what he had done over the last day or so. "I will be at the docks, waiting for that ship to arrive by midday tomorrow. And if any sort of assassination attempt is to be made, he may not be patient enough to go with one of these droid perform the deed. He may have many of them, and they are nasty."

Dutana leaned forward, mug of ammonia nearly empty. "So, let me clarify. You have a Princess unwittingly flying to a trap that may or may not involve multiple lightsaber wielding super-droids and a Dark Jedi - former student of your renowned master? And you want us to help you with this?"

"Yes."

R'We'Nok sat straight in his chair. "Of course."

Noa shook his head, smile evident in his human eyes. "Well, if R'We'Nok is going to do it, I guess I should too." Shaking his head and smile now even more evident, Noa decided to jab Trevor's Trial, just a little. "I can't believe they gave you a rescue-the-princess thing. And I'll bet you she was pretty, wasn't she?"

Trevor warmed to Noa's complaint, "Noa, you wouldn't believe me if I told you the truth." And with that Trevor pulled up the picture from the original mission assignment he had received. Noa and R'We'Nok gawked at the royal picture and the tension of the moment seemed to be released for just a moment.

"Just to be fair to you, this is for keeps. I don't know if Viko is on a mission to discredit Shudo or exact some sort of revenge plan. I am asking you to place your lives in danger. There is a possibility that you might be killed. If you do not want to do this, I will understand. I wanted that up front first. But it's your choice."

Dutana chided Trevor slightly. "I believe you knew we would accept when you asked us."

"The choice is always yours."

"Of course. When do you need us?"

"I don't know when her ship is going to arrive. Initially I am going to be there early in the morning. I'd like someone to go with me, to set up a command center. Those that aren't immediately with me should show up before noon. I need all of you on your toes. If anyone gets a strong sense of Dark Side energy then let me know. That will probably be Viko."

"Alright," Dutana nodded. "Why don't we all go together? That way we all know what is going on."

"Sure. Let's meet for breakfast tomorrow morning," R'We'Nok suggested.

"Sounds like a good plan. May the Force be with you," Trevor said, giving all a sense of dread.

"May it be with all of us," Noa added.

The early morning light streamed into Trevor's room, waking him as the sun shone in his room. He checked the chronometer and realized that it was nearly six. He dressed in an outfit reminiscent of his time on Tatooine. The white shirt and black trousers allowed Trevor to blend in a bit more with the seedy underside of Coruscant while his cloak covered the rest of his clothing. He performed some stretching exercises to get the kinks out. He also sent a message to the Council that he would be leaving shortly to 'perform his duties.' He did not mention the rest, as he believed that everyone else would have notified the Council what they were doing. He met the rest of his clan in the cafeteria and they all ate a hearty breakfast.

Noa started to ask Trevor, "So, what should happen if…" The look that Trevor gave him silenced him immediately.

"Look, I just want to have my morning meal with my friends and enjoy the morning as it is, ok? We have plenty of time for questions later."

Eight o'clock came around, and the group took a pair of skycabs to the transit port. Trevor and his companions entered the control room, where the harbormaster was just coming on duty.

"Master Jedi, what a pleasant surprise. What can I do for you today?"

"Harbormaster, I was wondering where my friends and I could set up shop? I do not know how long we will be here, and I would like to have a place close by to rest, if you don't mind."

The harbormaster nodded. "Yes, there is a security office with a couple of cots in it on the main floor. It is directly under the Lilting Dreadnaught, silly little cantina. Not much noise and it isn't anything to write home about, but it should suit your needs."

"Many thank, Harbormaster." Trevor started to turn away, but stopped. "When the ship we talked about yesterday makes its initial contact with you, could you send out a page for Sidney Electra? That way we know when it is nearby."

"No problem." The harbormaster wrote down the notes and placed it in his right side shirt pocket. "You don't take chances, do you, Master Jedi?"

"Not when I am doing my job. Thank you, sir. And good day to you."

The harbormaster waved as a junior harbormaster tapped him on the shoulder. Trevor exited the room, heading out to the main concourse. He looked around, trying to figure out where to go first. The rest of the group spread out, giving each other their own areas to cover. No one even explained what to do, the Jedi training taking over. Trevor knew instinctively where each of his clan was. He walked around the concourse, watching the ships and people intently.

The Jedi spent the next four hours, watching traffic patterns, people movement, trying to get some sense of the flow of the mass of cultures. As the day wore on, Trevor spent more time watching the vehicles landing and taking off, but as midday neared, he watched people more often, watching their movements and gestures. Just after midday, a figure caught Trevor's attention. A female Trendoshan walked through the main corridor. Her cloak billowed out showing Trevor some very well used armor covering her body as well as a few blaster pistols wrapped on her thighs. The quick draw placement gave Trevor the indication that she was a hunter of sorts, probably a bounty hunter. She seemed to be waiting for a ship to arrive, so Trevor catalogued her, keeping his vision on her every so often. The looks she gave to passers-by cause a path to be opened around her.

Trevor walked around a pillar, keeping behind the hunter. He looked around at the placement of the other Jedi, and moved his head, as if looking for a transport to arrive. The Trendoshan stood still for nearly thirty seconds, then slowly wandered away to another part of the dock. A snarl escaped her snout when a child gave her a sidelong glance. Trevor looked around at the others, catching first Noa's attention, then Dutana. Dutana spied R'We'Nok and pointed out the Trendoshan. Trevor went to the main terminal and spent a few moments looking at the schedule of arrivals for the public transports off-planet.

For the next two hours, nothing of note happened. Traffic seemed increasingly busy as large and small transports deposited their cargo and picked up new passengers, heading off to near and distant parts of the galaxy. Trevor noted that the Trendoshan kept making an appearance to the main concourse. He watched her, and the hunter stopped in mid-stride, looking up. Trevor thought that one of the others' was spotted, but realized after a moment that she was looking up towards an approaching ship. The design was not remarkable, but it did resemble a small civilian type of star-fighter. Trevor watched it, thinking that it might be Azulia, but no notice came over the public address. He continued to watch the ship, as the canopy lifted and the occupant exited the ship. The large blaster pistol on the belt definitely meant business, and the Rodian who exited the ship seemed to be lightly armored. The Rodian walked out, looked around, scanning the crowd. The female Trendoshan nodded in acknowledgement when spotted. Trevor looked at the Rodian, noting the light armor covering his entire frame. He realized that these two were bounty hunter, and they were definitely looking for someone. There was a huge bounty for someone, and Trevor had the sinking feeling that they were after Azulia. They have to be…

The Rodian walked into the main open area near Trevor. The Jedi turned his vision to follow the bounty hunter to an access door. About ten minutes later he was seen walking an upper balcony over Trevor's head. Trevor's vision allowed him to move his point of view so that he never had to move his head. The Jedi reached down, pulled out his comlink and contacted the nearest Jedi.

"Noa."

"Yes, Trevor."

"Keep your eyes on that Rodian that's about fifteen meters to your left."

"Thought that one looked a bit in the Trendoshan's league."

"Yeah, probably the same guild."

Noa's smile could be seen from the post Trevor was leaning against. Trevor nodded slightly, and continued to move around the main concourse, searching ships and passengers. An hour later, Trevor was looking at the others on his team when Dutana's head nodded in another direction. Trevor adjusted his vision and noticed a human woman with an extremely short hair style. An ugly scar dominated her facial features, certainly the result of an encounter with some bladed weapon. She had a toughness that transcended the thin and wiry look. The blasters on each hip and a vibrodagger confirmed that this was another bounty hunter. And one more makes three, mused Trevor. The comlink came out again.

"Dutana."

"Trevor."

"Keep you eye on her."

"Bounty hunters?"

"Could be in a strange sort of way."

"I've got a bad feeling about this."

"Yeah, me too."

Trevor pursed his lips, watching the three bounty hunters. Each one seemed to be aware of each other, but instead of working together, they acted at odds with one another. One would push into another's space, causing the second to move into the third's space, causing a reaction for the third to move towards the first's spot. Trevor's nerves were starting to get the best of him. The Jedi had been out in the open for nearly six hours. Each of the Jedi had taken a few moments off here and there, but with these bounty hunters entering the common area vying for space, Trevor felt that leaving would have been bad manners. A triangular face with tentacles where a human's mouth would be brought with it another bounty hunter into the fray, this time in the body of a Quarren. All of the hunters were here for something. As Trevor looked around again, a I7 Howlrunner landed on one of the civilian landing pads.

"R'We'Nok, there is a Quarren in the concourse. Monitor him."

"Certianly."

Trevor kept his vision on the ship and the Trendoshan. The ship's canopy opened up, and a Kel Dor, bug-like head and masked face marking the species rather easily, departed the ship. The common armor of a bounty hunter gave Trevor the distinct impression that this bounty was extreme. All five bounty hunters continued to vie for space of some sort. This guy's losing patience, thought Trevor. The cloak caught on a counter as he walked by brought Trevor back to the present. A sudden idea hit him.

"Noa, I am going to change clothes. I am dropping my cloak. Something doesn't feel right."

"Ok, I agree with you about it not feeling right."

Trevor moved to the bunk house that the transit security force used, stored it, adjusted his blindfold, and stored his lightsaber into a pouch in his pant leg. He walked back to the main concourse and sat on a bench just under a half-moon area of Transit Port 67. From this point, he could keep his eyes on just about everyone, bounty hunters and Jedi alike. Trevor continued to monitor the area, giving each of the others a couple of hour breaks. Nothing of note happened during the break periods. Each of the Jedi came back slightly more refreshed, ready for action.

Dinner hour had clearly come and gone. The lights inside the covered areas of Transit Port 67 automatically turned on when the outside light would have made it hard to see. Trevor had not moved from his spot for nearly two hours. He made a show of watching his chronometer, checking the arrival boards as if looking for a transport. None of the bounty hunters seemed to give him a second look, as if they weren't concerned with people watching them. Trevor circled his vision, as he had done every few mintues for the last couple of hours. As he reached the upper levels, he noticed a silhouette standing with his arms behind his back, looking out the window. The outline showed armor or a flight suit and a rounded helmet could be around it's head. Trevor came back to it a couple of times, and the figure did not move once. He zoomed his vision in, and noted that the helmet actually had an circular array of scanners and sensors that covered the entire face. The wheel looked like it might spin up in front of the face. Its arms were gauntleted, and weapons littered the body. Trevor reached out with the Force, trying to identify if this is what Viko now looked like.

Unfortunately, this being was not a Force sensitive, but Trevor could get the feeling that this was the most dangerous foe of all the bounty hunters. The figure was certainly humanoid, but did not move. The body suit was uniform grey color, with a black vest on the torso containing pouches, most likely full of power cells. The weapon belt containing two quality blaster pistols looked well taken care of. The entire setup gave Trevor an eerie feeling that he had been bounty hunting for many years and was a professional, which would make him a difficult enemy. Trevor's danger sense went off as he continued to monitor from the upper deck. The Jedi were certainly outnumbered, with six bounty hunters in the Transit Port and too many civilians for Trevor's comfort. Time to even the odds, thought Trevor. He pulled out his comlink and accessed the current harbormaster-in-charge while calculating who was the furthest away from the rest of the group. While waiting for the harbormaster in charge on the nightshift, Trevor spied the Rodian, looking towards the sky with a pair of macrobinoculars. The harbor master came over the connection.

"I need your security forces to quietly detain a Rodian."

"I can't guarantee how long we can hold him, probably a couple of hours."

"That should be enough."

"Is he dangerous?"

"Yes, if you consider bounty hunters dangerous."

"Ok. I will tell my men to be careful."  
Rodians has the reputation of being troublesome. Trevor had heard stories that some Rodians did not even liked having people look at them. Luckily the security force seemed to have some experience with that species. The group's leader stood in front of the Rodian and the indignation that rose from the shouts confirmed the theory. After a few minutes of hollering and complaining, the leader finally convinced the Rodian to follow them towards the station. The Rodian followed, still bellowing.

Trevor nodded to himself, _One down, five to go_. He turned his vision back towards the most recent addition to the bounty hunter party. Greysuit's sensor array changed position, with a lens extending slightly, as if to zoom in. Trevor decided that this bounty hunter was the male of his species. The bounty hunter moved his head, as if taking in the scene. Trevor watched as Greysuit counted out the remaining bounty hunters. Well, that confirms that we only have five. Nodding to himself, Trevor's senses told him that the others noticed the change in numbers, though none seemed to be aware of the latest addition to the party. Noa caught Trevor's attention and gave a quick wink, indicating a job well done. Trevor nodded slightly, acknowledging the accolade, but still concentrating on the fifth bounty hunter.

The grey suit moved from his position and eventually ended up above the Rodian's last position. The figure was tucked back into a shadow, leaning against the wall with his arms folded. Trevor shifted uncomfortably on the bench. He'd been sitting still for over a half hour. Most people probably would not notice a blind man, but these bounty hunters might be aware of him. If they were hired by Viko, then he might have given them his description. No one seemed to be giving him much attention, so he continued his vigil. Trevor's sense that Greysuit was the most dangerous continued to plague him. He stood up from his place and walked up the nearest set of stairs. As he walked up the stairs, he caught Noa's attention. Trevor motioned slightly with his head. Noa nodded back, understanding that Trevor wanted to switch places with him. Trevor could tell that Noa wanted to take on Greysuit, but also bowed to the fact that Trevor asked him for help in this particular adventure. Trevor smiled slightly. Noa was never the one who liked to duel, but he seemed to want be in out front as he got older.

The night wore on and more people constantly were boarding and exiting ships throught the entire time. Transit Port 67 was constantly busy, with hundreds of civilians moving through the turnstiles an hour. The Jedi continued to take rest periods during the night, each getting a couple of hours of rest where they could. Trevor's rest period ended near mid-night and climbed up from his cot when three words sent electricity through his body.

"PAGING SIDNEY ELECTRA. PAGING SIDNEY ELECTRA."

Trevor calmed himself, took a deep breath and headed towards the area where Greysuit was last. He noted that the others were dispersing themselves near other bounty hunters. Noa was on the main concourse out in the open near the benches that Trevor had sat in most of the day. R'We'Nok was tailing the Trendoshan and Dutana seemed to have the Kel-Dor and the Quarren split. The evening air seemed cooler and there seemed to be electricity in the air. A small starfighter with a long sleek nose, a bubble canopy and huge engines on the back flanked by stabilizer fins closed on the main landing platform. A large blue stripe raced down the middle of the fuselage.

A few of the bounty hunters moved into position but Trevor moved his vision out over the concourse to review the situation. A movement caught his eye and he saw a potential problem to the plan. He immediately pulled out his comlink.

"Noa."

"Yeah."

"Park yourself in front of the ramp. Prepare for hell to be unleashed."

"That's what I've been waiting for!"

"Let the others know. I've got big bad and ugly up … here."

As Trevor spoke, he looked towards Greysuit, who had moved his arms so that the right gauntlet was aimed down towards the concourse. Trevor nearly panicked, wondering which one of his friends was in danger. He immediate moved his vision to look down the arm, and surprisingly, it was the Trendoshan who Greysuit was aiming for. A small puff clouded Trevor's vision slightly as a sudden projectile hurled its way towards the Trendoshan. The female was struck by a quick-acting paralysis dart and immediately dropped to the ground. The Kel-Dor immediately turned around, weapon drawn as he turned around. Trevor watched the grey suited bounty hunter take out the Kel-Dor in the same way. Noa's voice reached out to Trevor from the com-unit.

"What's going on?" Trevor could see Noa whipping his head around, cloak now dropped and lightsaber in hand but not activated. R'We'Nok and Dutana were also in the same position as Noa but not as panicky. R'We'Nok had been known for his calm composure when growing up. The Quarren, realizing that other bounty hunters were being gunned down and he spotted the grey suit against the wall. A bellow echoed around the concourse, causing the remaining civilians on the platform to scatter in all directions. The Quarren raised his blaster and levied a barrage of laser fire towards the rogue bounty hunter. Trevor immediately go on his comlink to the Harbormaster's Office.

"This is Trevor Gul'dan. Get your security forces down to the main…"

Alarms sounded from the far side of the complex allowing Trevor to stop his communication. He looked back towards his assignment, and realized that he was already moving to another location. The Quarren continued to fire upon the other bounty hunter, but R'We'Nok had slipped in front of the Quarren, blue lightsaber blade ignited. Noa's green blade and Dutana's blue were also active. Laserfire and lightsaber hums echoed constantly around the complex as Trevor followed the grey suited bounty hunter around the complex, back toward its original location.

Greysuit reached a point fifteen meters ahead, stopped and aimed his left hand gauntlet out across the open air. An ascension cable lanced out towards the opposite side of the concourse, piercing the paristeel beam. A second ascension cable thudded into the wall behind the bounty hunter. Trevor realized that the bounty hunter was going to repel the wire over Azulia's ship. The bounty hunter latched his belt onto the wire and immediately slid down the wire. Trevor realized that he would not make it by following him directly, so he took two running steps and leaped off the balcony edge to intercept the bounty hunter. He gathered the Force on the first step and pushed off on his second, releasing the Force behind him to propel himself across the open air to the sliding bounty hunter. Greysuit never truly saw Trevor flying towards him until the two bodies collided with one another. Trevor gripped him to try and slow him down, but the bounty hunter would have nothing of it. A gauntleted fist connecting with Trevor's shoulder and the force of the collision force air out of Trevor's lungs. He responded with a fist to the 'sensor face', but knew that nothing would get through the helmet. Trevor realized that he only a couple of moments to make his move.

He twisted his body, trying to force the bounty hunter down the wire first, but the bounty hunter realized what Trevor was doing. Greysuit did not fight the attempt and they turned around in a complete circle. Trevor reached his hand back as if to hit him in the face again. The bounty hunter's other hand pulled out a blaster pistol. As the pistol withdrew from the holster, a noticeable _snick-vvvrrrrmmm _could be heard as a vibroblade emerged like a bayonet. He slammed his fist into the bounty hunter's face and blocked the counterattack of the blade with his arm. Trevor jerked his knee into the groin area, but was rewarded with only a muffled _clang_ as the armor blocked the attempt. The two slid down the wire, closer and closer to the last point when releasing would land them on the ship. Trevor realized instinctively that only a moment more, and if he released, he'd be dropping to the underside of Coruscant without gaining any new information from the bounty hunter. As he spun around he got a quick glance of Azulia standing in a flightsuit similar to her pod-racing suit with a blaster pistol in hand. She was looking up at the pair, with a look of _how-do-I-shot-that_ on her face. Trevor realized that the decision was made for him. He pushed himself off of the bounty hunter, fell nearly five meters, flipped himself and landed on the walkway, activated lightsaber in hand. The bounty hunter released two seconds later, had pulled out a second blaster pistol releasing five shots in Trevor's vicinity as he flew down. The first shot hit the ship under Trevor's feet, barely grazing his ankle. The rest of the shots went wild, providing cover fire. Azulia jumped down off the ship and ducked underneath.

Trevor attacked the bounty hunter, but his blade barely connected with the armor plating. The attacks caused gouges to appear on the exterior while the bounty hunter neatly avoided the three-meter silver blade. The bounty hunter jumped back a couple of meters and opened fire again on Trevor. Laser fire bounced off the silver blade, one rebounding back onto the bounty hunter's armor, a second into the fuselage, and the third shot scarred Trevor's shirt as he twisted out of the way. The lightsaber reached forward, bouncing off the armor yet again. Trevor moved in trying to get a decent attack, and thinking he saw an opening. The armor was starting to break apart as the bounty hunter jumped back after each attack. The bounty hunter, though weighted down by his equipment, moved nearly as fast as Trevor. He moved away from Trevor, reached out with his right arm and an grey-blue mass was propelled towards Trevor. A half-meter away, the mass started to expand into a paristeel-cable netting. He swung his lightsaber trying to deflect it, but instead sliced through the center. The two halves breezed by Trevor, causing some strands to barely catch his clothing. A loud _thunk_ could be hear behind, along with a _zap_. Trevor realized that the netting was meant to pin him down to the ship, and then electricity would have coursed through his entire body, either stunning him or even killing him. Trevor moved in, swinging his blade through the midsection. His opponent jumped back, nearing the edge of the ship. Trevor chased the bounty hunter again, and connected onto the top of the helmet on a follow through, sparks flying all over. The bounty hunter fired again, releasing a constant barrage of laser fire. Trevor's defense now were fully warmed up as all the shots were redirected into support beams around the complex. One shot was redirected back towards the bounty hunter, hitting him solidly in the left shoulder. A grunt of pain wafted from behind the mask as he moved closer to the edge of the ship that leaned out into thin air. After catching his balance, he brought up the left gauntlet.

Trevor moved in, realizing that he had the bounty hunter on the ropes and he was about to send another electrical net towards him, saw an opening. Time seemed to slow down as Trevor noted that the left arm was actually extending out a hair more than he should have been. An unarmored portion of the arm seemed to scream Trevor's name and the silver blade connected with that section of the arm. Time sped back to normal speed as the gauntlet clattered to the floor. Condensation on the ship contributed to the bounty hunter's feet slipping on the hull. He teetered backwards, ready to fall into Coruscant space when Trevor reached out with the Force and steadied his opponent, preventing him from accidently, or intentionally, falling off. The bounty hunter got his balance back, took a step towards the silver bladed Jedi and fell to his knees.

"Do you yield?" Trevor asked.

A tip-lipped muffled response greeted his ears. "Yes." The lightsaber retracted into the hilt, and the Jedi returned it to his belt.

Trevor gathered up the bounty hunter by the vest. The bounty hunter's head dropped to his chest as the Jedi removed all visible weapons and the vest. He assisted the injured man onto the platform into the waiting arms of R'We'Nok and Noa who help the nearly comatose warrior to his knees. Princess Azulia stood directly behind Trevor, pistol returning to her side while he was giving instructions to the others.

"Take him to the Healers. Get him stabilized. We'll interrogate him after."

"Roger."

"Take the others to the Jedi Temple-"

Trevor turned his head and whipped his vision around to see flashes of light in the night sky. In the distance, turbolaser fire could be heard bouncing off the Transit Port. Small lights were moving in the skies above Coruscant. Laserfire could be seen tracing the sky. An explosion could be seen and the resulting burning could be seen falling into the city below. Engine whines could barely be heard as well. All the clues pointed to a battle in the airspace over the Jedi Temple. Trevor made some quick calculations.

"The Temple is under attack! Get them over to the Temple now! Azulia, I need your services." He turned to find her already boarding her ship.

"Strap in!" Trevor raced up the small stairs into the rear seat of her ship. Barely getting the restraining harness on, Trevor was forced backwards into the seat as Azulia's starfighter raced across the cityscape towards the area of fighting. Trevor had to force himself to the fact that the inertial compensators were turned way down, obviously to give Azulia the feeling of podracing. Trevor immediately opened a communication channel to the Temple. He got the central communication room. As they flew on, the wreckage from one of the small star ships spiraled down through the atmosphere with three other ships following behind with tractor beams trying to slow the debris down so as not to hurt any of the civilians below. A trio of Whitecloaks followed the ship, wondering if they needed to do battle again. The communicator crackled.

"This is the Jedi Temple."

"Trevor Gul'dan approaching from Section 672."

"Do you see any more combat going on?"

The three Whitecloaks moved off, giving clearance to the blue starfighter. Azulia and Trevor both looked around.

"I can't see any, what's going on?"

Azulia confirmed it. "It's all clear. It looks like they got them."

Trevor repeat Azulia's comment, and his own. "It's all clear. What is going on?"

The response was guarded. "We'll inform you when you land. I suggest you bring it on in to landing bay VW-213." Trevor realized that this landing bay was for dignitaries and it was on the far side of the Temple, away from the current action. Traffic control must have wanted to have any airships near the Temple to approach from a more cautious side. No other traffic impeded them and they landed rather quickly. They exited the ship and immediately walked to the main Whitecloak landing bay in the main tower. Trevor kept Azulia close to him as they transitted the Temple. He was not going to allow her out of her site.

As the pair entered the Whitecloak landing bay, Azulia's shock could be heard clearly. "Whoa, you guys know how to set a place up, don't you?" She looked around at the cramped but fully-utilized area for repairs, paint jobs and maintenance. Trevor went over to a group of technicians and Jedi who were exiting from underneath a Whitecloak. The head technician looked over at Trevor, nodded to him and yelled back to another technician while walking over.

"Yeah, yeah. –16 and –13 are OK, but –26 is being brought in by the tug now. Master Jedi, what can I do for you?"

"I want to know who is in charge here."

The whine of a Whitecloak muffled the reply. Trevor turned his vision toward the incoming ship. The canopy was already fully raised as the ship was barely a meter off the ground. Trevor could see Saesee Tinn's face standing up as the struts hit the ground. Tinn noticed the Jedi and the princess standing in front of his ship. Trevor nodded his thanks to the technician, who ran over to where a tug had pulled in the disabled ship.

Tinn received a quick status report from the technician as he ran off and turned to towards Trevor. Trevor reiterated his question.

"What happened, Master Tinn?"

"There was an attack."

"On, on, on who?"

"On us." Tinn paused as Azulia slowly sidled over beside Trevor. "Princess. I am glad to see you well."

Azulia nodded a greeting, but realized that Trevor showed this Jedi tremendous respect, so she kept still behind Trevor slightly.

Trevor showed a slight bit of impatience. "Were my suspicions correct? Knowing that he was there?"

Tinn sighed. "I'm not sure. Their ships were destroyed. There were ten of them, basically Z-95 Headhunters and Malerunners. They ignored all traffic control command and shot down one of the TC patrol ships. They headed straight for the Temple. I dispatched five Whitecloaks, including myself. They all went down. They would not yield, they would not give up. I find this suspicious that this happened immediately while our attentions were focused on the events beyond the Senate Complex over at –67", meaning Transit Port 67.

Trevor brushed his chin thoughtfully, "Odd. It was coordinated."

A young technician raced over. "Master Tinn! Master Tinn! Frequency 836.34."

Trevor bowed to Tinn as he took the communication. The whispered conversation took a turn when Tinn returned.

"You," directing a finger at the young technician who relayed the message, "see that she is taken care of. Do not let her out of your sight. You," looking at Trevor, "come with me."

The Jedi boarded the Whitecloak, Trevor in the second seat, Tinn in the pilot's seat. The canopy was not even on the way down when the Whitecloak lifted off. Trevor experienced true piloting between Azulia and Tinn. There was no way that he'd ever get to be this good. The trip only lasted under five minutes, but Trevor was surprised to find that he was a the wreckage of the small ship that he and Azulia had passed just before communicating with the Temple. A platform had been erected and the remains of a Z95 Headhunter were on display for the security force to see. Trevor and Tinn landed and immediately jumped out of the ship. Tinn took lead, and Trevor was not far behind. They were just taking the body of the pilot out of the wreckage. The body was nearly burned into a crisp, but a three clawed hand could be seen from even the distance Trevor was. Tinn's face looked confused, but Trevor recognized it immediately. He blurted out, "Dashade" and the entire platform went utterly still.

Tinn turned to Trevor, "What did you say?"

"Master, if I am not mistaken, that is the hand of a Dashade."

"That's why I told you to come along."

Trevor paused before continuing. "He's losing his patience. We have pushed him too far."

"You stole his treasure."

"He wants it back."

"Your mission was a diversion."

"I guess it didn't quite work. He knew the Temple's defenses would be there."

"Perhaps it was sent as a message. We have to inform the Council immediately" 


	13. Chapter 13

THE BATTLE OF SSURETH

The return flight to the Temple was quick and quiet. Tinn and Trevor did not speak one word, each deep in their own thoughts. Trevor could see Tinn's wrinkled face in stern concentration as he navigated through the city's spires back towards the Temple District. Trevor's feeling that Talaan was still alive seemed even more assured now. He continued to ponder about the attack on the Temple and the seeming coincidental bounty on Princess Azulia. There was still something missing, but he felt certain that Talaan was involved. He definitely needed to talk to Master Shudo.

Tinn brought the ship into the Whitecloak hanger bay, where Trevor could see Azulia talking to a couple of hanger bay technicians. The conversation seemed to be animated as the trio turned towards the approaching fighter. The landing gear was barely on the ground when the canopy popped open. The fighter settled onto the floor, and Tinn bounded out of the ship, heading straight for the nearest turbolift. Trevor followed, a bit more cautiously. He caught up to the Jedi Commander as he was giving directions to the technicians. Tinn turned towards Azulia.

"Princess, if you will come with us?" Tinn turned, pulling out a comlink.

Azulia turned to Trevor, who motioned toward the retreating back of the Jedi Master. She quickly thanked the technicians and hurried to keep up with Tinn. Trevor followed the Princess, more as an rear guard than anything else. He did not want to have her get lost in the Temple, though something told him that she'd find her way in a dark room. Tinn could be heard talking to the Central Communication center.

"Get me Noa Aquila, R'We'Nok and Dutana… Noa, Saesee Tinn…I need you to report directly to the Council upon your arrival back at the Temple… Thank you."

Tinn pushed the button to the turbolift doors and entered first, followed by Azulia and Trevor. The ride was extremely tense. Azulia looked at Trevor, and he nodded slowly, not wanting to break the silence that enveloped them. The doors opened onto the floor of the Council and Tinn led the trio inside. There the rest of the Jedi Council was in attendance. Everyone's eyes seemed a little brighter this morning, as some had been awake since the first attack. The cityscape showed lights here and there, giving an ominious ambiance to the Council Chambers. Tinn moved towards his seat, but did not sit upon it. Azulia and Trevor stood outside the circles. As a guest of the Council, Azulia was uncertain where to stand. Seconds later, the other Jedi who had accompanied Trevor to Transit Port 67 entered the room. Upon seeing his companions, Trevor walked towards the center of the room. Azuila, seeing the patterns on the floor, tapped Trevor's shoulder, shrugging hers in an unasked question. Trevor guided her to an outer circle, towards the back of the group. He raised one finger to his lips, and she nodded back. Trevor knew that having her in the Council Chambers was a rare occasion, but he knew that at least Mace Windu would understand why Trevor chose to have her so close to him in the chambers.

Tinn began the proceedings. "We have returned from one of the salvageable ships that attacked us earlier. Trevor was able to identify the pilot as Dashade." At this Trevor nodded his head to Yoda and Windu, who had turned towards him in confirmation. "We now believe that this was a combination of an attack with a diversionary tactic, in summoning of the Princess." Tinn covered the basic facts and turned the floor over to Trevor. He then explained the encounter at Transit Port 67 in broad detail.

"One of the bounty hunters took out two of the others and he is now in custody. I don't know if we have had a chance to talk to him yet. I just got back from the ship, and I have no additional information on who the bounty hunter is…"

Noa took a step forward. "He's currently in custody. We have identified him as a known bounty hunter, registered with the bounty hunter's guild. He goes under the alias of Snare, a male human. And apparently he has a fair reputation among the guild. There is no indication that he was contracted, so we think, most likely, these bounty hunters received individual notice of an open bounty. Meaning that someone had a few bounty hunters in mind and put out notice. Without alerting the entire guild."

"This is planned, calculated, which we figured." commented Trevor. "Add to that, the fact that there were two attacks at the same time…" Trevor let this trail off, giving the Council a chance to react to this new information. A few heads turned, silent conversation running rampant. Trevor turned to Mace Windu. "Have we heard from Master Shudo yet?"

"We should hear from him soon." Windu replied calmly.

Trevor sensed that a decision was being reached, but he couldn't grasp what that was. "When do we plan on interrogating the bounty hunter more?" Trevor did not want the opportunity to slip away, but his impatience on not having all the pieces to the puzzle and doing nothing was starting to wear on him.

Noa stared at Trevor, replying with a calm voice that Trevor did not feel, "Soon. As soon as possible." Trevor was about to turn to back to the Council when a comlink tone went off in the room. All eyes turned towards Trevor, who realized that it was his comlink. Knowing it was rude to answer his comlink in the Council chambers, he pulled it out, acknowledging the central communication center.

"Jedi Knight Trevor Gul'dan, I have a high priority holonet message waiting for you from Hyperspace Relay Station TXR-412684."

Trevor turned to Yoda, "With your permission, Master?"

Yoda nodded, "Please."

Trevor bowed his head quickly and walked over to the communication panel near the entrance of the room. He plugged in his comlink to the holonet outlet and notified the communication center to patch it through. Blue light filtered into the room. Trevor expected to have Shudo's face staring back at him. What stopped him still was the tattooed face of a young woman, long hair framing the face, horns protruding from the top, and the back of a starship pilot's chair framing all of her face. Stunned silence greeting Yendys Arctell as she turned towards Trevor.

"Trevor…and the Council." Yendys' face looked around the room, seeing all twelve members staring back at her. The indignation shown in her face as she turned on Trevor. "This message is for you and you alone."

Murmuring could be heard from the members, obvious dislike for the irregular behavior of a former padawan. Trevor kept his face pointed at her, taking the outburst full on like a levee holding back raging water. Knowing the ties that she severed when she left, he knew that she would not be sending a message if it was not important. His body told Yendys that he'd stand there until her ire ran out, believing that he'd done the right thing. They had arguments growing up, and Trevor had used the same posture when he thought he was right. Yendys deflated visibly, knowing that Trevor would have stood stock still, taking everything that she wanted to say and letting it wash over him.

"But it won't hurt if the Council hear this either. I have been doing some…research since giving you that information on Necropolis." Heads turned towards Trevor as the mysterious informant became known. "I have done some investigations back on Metallos and I found some leads. Some really interesting leads. I did some backtracking and I am just getting back from that."

Trevor sensed that there was danger in her near future. He continued to face Yendys, but he sent a quick telepathic message to Mace Windu, asking him for his permission for her to come to the Temple. Windu blinked twice, surprised at the sudden question. He turned from Yendys to Trevor, nodded once, and returned to the rogue Jedi. Trevor nodded slightly in return.

"Yendys…"

"I found a planet. I think it's Ssureth."

Trevor wracked his brain, trying to figure out where he'd heard that name before. Out of the corner of his eye, Yaddle's ears twitched at the name, giving Trevor the impression that she would fill in his gaps. Trevor turned back towards the vision in front of him.

"Yendys. I need you here, as a guest…"

A tremble went through the crowd, knowing that Trevor had just broken a few dozen rules with that one sentence. But another overwhelming presense made itself known in his mind. The presence of Mace Windu was alarmingly strong, immediately calming the rest of the council. Yoda's voice was not heard, but Trevor could see the Jedi Master's eyes closed, listening to either the Force or trying to communicate with it. Yendys' voice brought his attention back to the large visage in front of him.

"I think…you need to convince the Council to send some ships out here. This planet hasn't been registered as active, not even recorded on the charts for quite some time. It has been lost to history."

Yaddle nodded emphatically. "A stronghold of the Sith, it was."

Yendys continued. "They have ships…"

"How many?"  
"At least three squadrons. They are very, very old, but they are surprisingly good condition and they are fast. I am not sure who's piloting them, but it might be the Dashade, for all we know. I barely got out of there…"

"Where are you?" Trevor jumped in, but Yendys continued unhindered.

"There is a shrine, some kind of a Temple. I would be willing to bet, given the amount of energy readings that I got from the surface, that whoever has been utilizing these droids, is operating out of this location."

"Where…are… you?" Trevor asked again.

"I'm on my way out of the system. I have already made the jump once to get out of range. I am at a safe enough distance to break out and make this transmission, but I need to jump again."

"Get here as quickly as you can. Here."

"I am going to stop at Ithor, it's on my way. I'm going to resupply and refuel at one of the orbital station. It should be about five hours from now. You can try and contact me again then."

It was Trevor's turn to back off from his position. Yendys had the look in her eyes that she did not want to be within three lightyears of the Jedi Temple. Even asking for Trevor to go to the Council on her behalf took quite a bit from her. Trevor nodded, giving up the fight for now.

"Will do."

Yendys looked at her former clanmate, and set a grim face, almost wanting to get into a squabble with him. "I am going to send you a couple of images I got from my flyby. I actually managed to enter the planet's atmosphere and was able to see the structure firsthand before one of the ships chased me out. I have a scan of the structure and the ships, but no real tactical information."

Trevor nodded, "Transmit it, we'll analyize it…"

"Sending now. I'll expect a message waiting for me when I get to Ithor. Just let me know how things are going, if you don't contact me in person." She looked at the entire Council chamber and returned back to Trevor. "I'm outta here." The screen dissolved and the chamber returned to normal, at least somewhat.

Trevor shook his head from side to side. Knowing that her issues were personal and not philosophical, he retrieved his comlink from the holonet station. He download the images to his datapad and stored it in a pouch. He walked back towards the center when he turned to Master Yaddle.

"This planet she was talking about, what do you know of it?"

"Lost the location was during the battles with the Sith. Large facility I do not believe it has. Weapons, the lure of the Dark Side it has."

As Yaddle spoke, Trevor's comlink beeped once more. Another murmur of indignation from the Council. He looked down and noted Shudo's code on his datapad. "Council Members, it's Master Shudo. With your permission?" Silence greeted Trevor's request. He walked back over to the holonet station and placed his comlink in again. The image of Shudo standing in front of two other Jedi filled the center of the room. Trevor immediately recognized Kymber Thomree and deduced that the young woman next to Kymber was her new padawan. Trevor guessed that she was between sixteen and eighteen. It was hard to guess her age due to the veil across the lower half of her face. The features that he could see were strikingly plain. The eyes were quiet, but intense. Trevor thought, _That's an interesting choice. This is a good choice for her._

Shudo nodded to Mace Windu.

"Trevor."

"Master."

"My Masters, I have received your message, it sounded urgent. You wanted me to contact you. I understand there has been some activity at the Temple."

Trevor knew that the only way to approach this subject was straight forward and breeched Shudo's defenses as quickly as possible.

"Yes, there has. I need you to tell me about Viko Talaan."

Shudo's shoulders straightened, and even Kymber's eyes widened at the brashness of the question. Trevor held his breath, waiting for the backlash of the decisive question. Shudo studied his latest padawan, wondering what was going on in his mind.

"You have a suspicion?"

"Yes, the name Talon is an striking pseudonym for Talaan."

"If that were your only evidence, I would dismiss it easily."

"I'll continue. Based on the history of what I have been able to research through the Archives, how he disappeared, about his Trial…"

"However, I also have been pondering these things recently."

Trevor nearly stopped in shock. He was not sure how his Master would react to his thought process and the fact that Shudo had also been looking into this made Trevor feel much more comfortable.

"Yendys Arctell made contact with us and she says that she found the lost planet Ssureth. She had a run in with some very archaic, yet mobile ships; at least three squadrons, according to Yendys. There was also some sort of temple there. Knowing the history of the planet, it would make a good place to hide for all these years."

"Ssureth… This is a former Sith stronghold?"

"Yes."

"So we don't know what he might have his hand on."

"He may have his hands on more that just droids and ships."

Shudo nodded, disappointment evident on his face. "We need to strike as soon as possible. If he has three squadrons, and we don't know for certain what capabilities these ships have, we do not have the resources to fully engage in a space battle of this nature."

A movement distracted Trevor from an apology that started to form on his lips. Azulia moved forward, stepping around the Jedi in front of her and addressed the council.

"Masters," she began, "it seems that you are in a bit of a bind. You have a very known quantity of ships at your disposal. I would like to add my wing of starfighters to what ships you can gather and we will lead an assault on this planet."

Windu and Yoda each turned to one another, then to Shudo and the rest of the council. They all nodded in acceptance of the desperate nature of the request. "Your help," Windu said, "is greatly appreciated."

Azulia bowed deeply. "It is I who am appreciative of the Jedi Order, especially one Jedi sent to protect me. I could do no less."

A small smile formed on Shudo's face. "Very well. Where is Yendys now?"

Trevor turned towards Shudo, glad for the distraction. "On her way toward Ithor, Master."

Shudo dropped his head in thought. "Ithor is near Ssureth?"

Trevor nodded. "Yes, the relay station that her message came from near Ithor."

Azulia spoke up. "If we rendevous with Yendys at Ithor, then the rest of my wing, my entire wing can be gathered there by the time we arrive. Given the opportunity for recalculation of hyperspace jump routes, it is possible that by stopping at Ithor we will actually save time on our journey, and we could make about a four-hour stopover there without losing any time from a direct jump from Coruscant."

Trevor thought about this, and noted others doing the calculations in their head. Heads nodded, and others agreed vocally. The murmers grew to a noticeable noise. Trevor turned back towards Shudo.

"Master Shudo, of your knowledge of Viko, would he expect a diversion or a frontal assault?"

Shudo thought about this for a moment. "He will expect the archetypal Jedi approach."

"Well, he knows the training and our methods. We need to do something unexpected."

"Let me ponder this. You think on it as well. We will have a chance to talk at Ithor. I can meet you there as well. I will bring Kymber and Zao." Trevor nodded, not knowing what else to say. Shudo bowed to the Council and the ladies followed suit as the image of the trio faded from the middle of the room. The light of the impending dawn could be seen starting to color the sky. Trevor walked back toward the middle of the room. Windu looked at Trevor.

"Do you expect any more interruptions?"

Trevor shook his head, wondering if he was in more trouble than he realized. Windu's eyes twinkled, and even Yoda guffawed slightly. A small trail of laughter filled the room as the tension eased somewhat. Azulia looked around and realized that something monumental was occurring, but she did not have time to ponder it as Ki-Adi Mundi spoke up for the first time.

"We will send with you what Whitecloaks we can spare. I believe Master Tinn may be interested in heading up the Jedi portion of the battle group." Tinn nodded to Mundi's statement. Trevor bowed to Tinn, acknowledging the Jedi Commander's leadership. Windu spoke.

"Make what preparations you need. If there is to be a ground engagement, use those that you are most familiar with. You will be more successful this way. Use the elements that Masters Shudo and Thomree would recommend. I would suggest that you being making your preparations immediately. And send a communication to Ithor notifying Yendys Arctell of your plans. Her cooperation may prove most useful."

"I agree. By your leave."

"May the Force be with you."

The group of young Jedi with a feline looking princess left the Council chambers quietly. They entered the turbo lift and headed down to a large conference room just three floors below the rest of the Council. The Nexu Clan's members sat down and discussed possible actions. Trevor showed everyone the data files that Yendys sent him. Trevor inquired as to Azulia's squadrons.

"Princess, how big is your wing?"

"It is a full wing, six squadrons, twelve ships each"

"How good are they?"

"Some are still a little green, but where it counts, they are good."

Trevor pursed his lips. "Get them ready."

Azulia stood up. "I'll send a communication immediately. Now, if you would be so kind as to show me to the communication center?"

Trevor turned to R'We'Nok. "Could you escort the Princess there, please?"

R'We'Nok stood and motioned towards the door. Trevor stopped him in the door. "Meet me back here when you are done, unless you hear otherwise."

"I will be back shortly."

Trevor nodded to R'We'Nok and watch Azulia head down the corridor. The flight suit hid the true beauty of Azulia's race, but Trevor knew that having the Princess' squadrons would be a surprise to anyone. He noticed that Noa was watching Azulia as well. Trevor cleared his throat and Noa quickly turned his head back towards the table, his face becoming slightly pink at being caught.

"I need everyone's input. What are we missing?" Trevor began. "We've got two large air wings dealing with the space or atmospheric distractions. Gee, a Blue Wing and a White Wing." Nervous laughter greeting this. "Look, I don't know much about air tactics. Let's ask Master Tinn and Princess Azulia if they could handle that, since that's what they do. Let them coordinate together."

Dutana agreed. "A wise decision, I thought."

Noa interjected. "I would prefer to deal with the ground engagement. We know there's going to be one. He must have more droids."

"The droids are going to be nasty…"

"And Dashade, most likely."

"And you need to be very well aware that these Dashade …" Trevor stopped, unable to shake the fear of the first encounter with them on Alderaan.

"I remember stories from the Sith War."

"They are worse." Hearing the only person who fought Dashade in over three millennia say this caused both Dutana and Noa to whip their heads around. The silence quickly filled the room. Trevor quickly gave them some tips on handling Dashade.

"They usually like a ranged attack, so deflect their fire back at them. It wears them down faster. Don't get cornered, give yourself plenty of room. And work in pairs. We need better intel on that…temple."

"Unfortunately we won't be able to get it without flying into orbit, at which point, those ships will spot us for sure."

Trevor sat up in his chair, an idea suddenly hitting him. "Let me see that datapad again." He studied the picture of the temple, a large beige building with cathedral doors leading out onto a small landing platform. The building was located on what looked like the top of a large cravase.

"There's no access point that I can see other than the 'front' door."

Noa nodded. "And if that dates back to the era of the Sith War, that building has to be heavily shielded and fortified."

"So, the only way into is the back door."

"If there is one."

"Master Yaddle may have some plans for Sith fortresses. She may have access to something that we don't."

"I'll go see if I can get clearance to access the Archives."

"No, the Great Holocron." The Great Holocron was the pinnacle of Jedi Holocrons. No Jedi could just walk into the room containing the Great Holocron and get any information that they wanted. Jedi Master Jocasta Nu was the only person outside of the Council who had unlimited access. Rumors flew between padawans that the Great Holocron read your mind, and only gave you the information that you were ready to have, no more.

"Be my guest." Noa swept his hands towards the door, snickering.

"It makes the most sense."

"I agree, I just don't want Master Nu to be after me for trying to get in. After the last stunt I pulled in there, I still have to check in with Master Nu each time."

"Well, maybe if you did not leave your name all over your pranks, you wouldn't have that problem."

Noa and Trevor bantered for a few moments more, while Dutana sat back and watch the friends show their affection to one another.

"Noa, go talk to Master Yaddle. See if what you can get out of her regarding Sith strongholds. I'm going to…" Trevor stopped in mid-sentence. "Wait a minute. I'm going about this the wrong way." He turned his face away. "I'm looking at this like a Jedi. He's going to expect this."

He stood up and walked over to a holonet terminal, querying the central computer about the freighter that he and Master Shudo confiscated from Metallos. If Viko knew that this shipment had been lost, he might be surprised to find it back again. Trevor's voice went up nearly an octave, excitement flowing out like a broken dam.

"Noa, I brought back a freighter on a mission a few months ago. It's still here in the Temple. See if you can get a couple of technicians to work on the hyperdrive engines. Try and get them to increase hyperspace speed."

Dutana nodded. "Yes, that might work. It would be a distraction in it's own right. Trevor, brilliant!"

Noa stood up. "I am sure that they might be able to swap something better into it pretty quick."

"Good. Let's get moving. I am going to visit with Master Yaddle about everything else. Good luck."

The three left the conference room, Trevor turning left, Dutana and Noa going right. Trevor got on the first turbolift and headed right back to the Council chambers. Unfortunately, the council doors were shut tight and a Jedi padawan stood outside the doors preventing Trevor from entering.

"I am sorry, Master Jedi, but the Council meeting has broken up."

"Do you happen to know where Master Yaddle is?"

"As a matter of fact, she made a point to tell me. The others seemed preoccupied. She's gone back to her quarters."

Trevor turned away, heading back down the turbolift to the apartment levels. The lift seemed to slow down as it got closer to the proper floor. As Trevor walked down the hall, his determination cleared a path. No one, not even Jedi Instructors, stood in his way for long. His cloak billowed out behind him, giving an indication that Trevor was walking into a stiff breeze. Instead, the pursed lips gave everyone the signal that this Jedi was not to be stopped. By any one.

Trevor pressed the announcer button in front of Master Yaddle's door. He did not have to wait long. She opened the door and let Trevor right in. Her quarters were exactly what he'd expected for a historian. The room was littered with artifacts, globes of sands and boxes with marking from another time. Shelves lined the room, each one filled with statuettes, figurines and other knickknacks. Various holocrons could be seen and datacards lay all around the room. The room even had a dusty feel to it, even though the floor was immaculately clean. Yaddle returned to her desk, working on a datapad cross-referencing information, or at least that's what it seemed. Trevor came over, and sat down on the floor next to her desk, not wanting her to stop.

"How may I help?"

"I need access to the Great Holocron. I need to know if the Holocron knows anything about Sith fortresses. Back doors, weak areas, access points, that sort of thing. Something to exploit to bring a ground force in."

"The Great Holocron you do not need." She stood up, climbed up one of the ladders to a shelf, pulled out a oversized datafile, large than those found in the Jedi Archives. She returned to Trevor's location, returned to her seat and the historian's hands move quickly over the terminal, downloading information to a smaller datafile for the Knight's use.

"Prove useful this should."

"May I ask what it is, Master?"

"Research. Conjecture. A collection of Sith architecture and defenses." He marveled that she would trust him with such information.

"What will we need on the ground force to be able to get in?"

"Droids he has used in great numbers."

"Dashade as well…"

"More these you can expect."

"Would he use more Chev, or others like her?"

"Exist the possibility does. Draw these forces away from the main entry you must. If you were to go to the door, then most likely it would be protected, and stopped before you could enter. Two diversions you will need; one in space to take care of the ships to allow you reach the planet surface without being shot down, and another to draw the battle away from the true goal: Talaan. True to his form, wait for you there he will."

"Master, thank you for your time."

"One thing more. Young Arctell, wayward she has become. New skills she has learned, yes? Use these might you?"

He worked to keep his face stoic. She must have figured out, or heard reports about Yendys' new lifestyle. As most rogue Jedi within the galaxy, the Order usually kept an eye on those out there. But it was not always a true indication of a person's intentions. He worked to keep his emotions in check, keeping his emotions inward. The eyes of the Jedi Master bore into him nonetheless.

"Perhaps two would be enough to enter without drawing undo attention."

"A sound plan, Master. Thank you."

She pointed to the datafile in Trevor's hand. "Study."

"Yes, Master." And he stood up and left the room. He knew that her plan was simple. And those plans usually seemed to be the best way to go about complex actions. Keeping it simple and yet trying to draw off Talaan's forces would require some unique maneuvering. He started to return to the conference room they had used earlier, but instead stopped in the corridor and contacted the communication center. He requested the locations of R'We'Nok, Azulia and Saesee Tinn. Tinn was in one of the hanger bays and the others were at the communications center. He changed course, heading to the com-center. R'We'Nok was outside one of the public terminals awaiting Azulia's exit. He walked up to the his clan mate. They greeted each other silently, not wanting to disturb the peace and quiet.

Trevor whispered, "I need you to bring Her Highness to the hanger bay when she is done. Your job is to stay with her and protect her."

R'We'Nok's eyes turned guarded. "Are we expecting another attack?"

"At this point I'm not taking anything for granted."

"Very well."

Trevor left the com-center and headed towards the hanger bay. He wasn't sure what his position was in this mission. It seemed like he was running lead, but he did not want to insult Tinn, either by omitting him in decisions or by assuming that he would do something. He decided that the best approach is a cautious one. He sought out the hanger bay, and found Tinn pulling out a navigation card out of a Whitecloak. Trevor greeted him and requested a moment. Tinn came out from under the ship and walked over. Trevor bowed, and Tinn nodded slightly.

"Master Tinn, would you be willing to work with the Princess Azulia on coordinating the wings?"

Tinn looked at him, cocking his head to one side. "You wish to provide sufficient cover so that a ground force could reach the surface with out casualties, yes?"

Trevor smiled, "Am I that transparent?'

Tinn laughed, "No, it is sound tactics."

"And with your leadership, I think that it will augment the Xeddon strike force."

"I will send her to the hanger command center as soon as she is done her communications."  
"I have R'We'Nok leading her here when she is done."

Tinn's eyes opened wide. "Excellent!"

"On the off-chance that you said yes, I wanted to be prepared. I have requested that R'We'Nok be her guide and guard for the time being. I don't want to take any more chances."

"Prudent."

"I want to use the Dashade freighter we confiscated from Metallos to land a small strike force to enter on the ground floor."

Tinn rubbed his chin in thought, while Trevor continued.

"I have some studying I need to do on the way to Ithor."

Tinn raised his head slightly. "Are you refitting the freighter?"

"Slightly, yes."

"Who is working on it?"

"Noa and Dutana."

"I'll be in contact with them. I have some ideas."

"Excellent. I will find them and let them know you will be in contact with them."

"We need to make it look convincing."

Trevor stopped. "I know just the technican for the job. I have Noa and Dutana get a hold of him. He does really good work and I'm sure he'll do what you ask." He paused, slightly not knowing exactly how to proceed. "When your work with the freighter is done, please contact me. We will leave as soon as that work is done."

Tinn nodded. "Very well."

"If you will excuse me, I have some other things to take care of."

"By all means." Tinn bowed and moved through the hanger bay toward the freighter's location. Trevor continued through the hanger bay, walking and thinking at the same time. Talaan was an enigma that Kymber and Trevor had lived with during their training. Trevor had tried to approach Shudo early on in his training about 'his first padawan' and was rewarded with extremely difficult drills for three days straight. He never asked about it again. Now that he was certain that Talaan might be the one, he needed more information about his adversary. He reviewed the wreckage of the Dashade ship for just a moment and headed directly towards the Jedi Archives once again. Trevor reviewed all that he knew about Talaan but could not figure out what kind of combatant he might be. He entered the Archives once again, feeling like his quarters were located there. A female Twi'lek Archivist walked up to Trevor.

"Master Jedi, you are back again."

"Yes, Master Archivist. However this time I come to visit with the Great Holocron. Is Master Nu available?"

"Yes, she is. Follow me, please."

Trevor followed the young Twi'lek to Master Nu's office, which Trevor had never seen before. Nu looked up from her datapad and brushed the young aide from her office. The Twi'lek punched the door button, and it whispered closed behind her.

"Trevor Gul'dan. I have not seen you in here more often since you were just an initiate."

"Master Nu, I apologize for bothering you, but I have a great need to visit with the Great Holocron."

"You are not bothering me, young Jedi. The quest for knowledge is never fulfilled, is it? What information is it that you seek?"

"I seek information on a former Jedi Padawan named Viko Talaan."

Nu's face never changed, which didn't surprise him. She nodded once. "I need to confirm this with the Council, you understand."

"Certainly Master Nu. Master Yaddle knew that I was interested in speaking with the Holocron."

"Thank you, Trevor. If you could wait outside, please."

Trevor bowed and turned from the room. A few moments later, the door re-opened and Nu waved Trevor to follow. The pair headed toward a plain door near the back of the archives and Jedi Archivist punched in a code on a small panel. The doors quietly slid open revealing a mediation room with a large crystalline structure holocron on a central pedestal. The Great Holocron was surrounded by a metallic framework which seemed to be more ornamental than structural. Nu motioned for Trevor inside. Trevor made himself comfortable while the door shut behind him. His insides jumbled, but he ran through his meditation exercises to calm himself. The last twenty hours of constant action was starting to catch up with him, but he reached down into his energy reserves allowing him to concentrate on the Holocron and the questions he was going to ask. When he was ready, he reached out with the Force, activating the Great Holocron. The Holocron glowed slightly sending an image of an Jedi dressed in archaic Jedi garb. He seemed to be near human, with white eyes and long white hair. Each hand showed three fingers with an opposing thumb. The nails seemed long and clawed. The Jedi bowed.

"Greeting, young Jedi. What is it you seek?"

"I seek knowledge of a former member of the Jedi Order. I need to anticipate his moves, his battle tactics, to be able to bring him to justice. I fear he has fallen to the Dark Side."

"What Jedi is it that you seek knowledge of?"

"Viko Talaan, padawan to Master Shudo Laan, padawan to Master Kura Oomaal."

"Very well." The image of the first Jedi disappeared, and a Caamasi Jedi appeared. The Caamasi was a tall being, with a head nearly a third of the height of the Jedi shown. The deep purple rings around the eyes and crest gave the Jedi a regal look, and the long crested face seemed to be belie the strength of conviction that the glowing apparition currently showed. Even though the color was a dull grey, Trevor knew that the golden brown cropped fur of the Caamasi would have made anyone stare at them. The Jedi before Trevor folded his long fingers over his hands and bowed to the younger Jedi.

"You seek knowledge of Viko Talaan?"

"Yes, Master."

"What is it you would know?"

"I need to be able to anticipate his battle tactics. What pushes his buttons, what can make him reckless."

The image of the Jedi bowed slightly. "It was his recklessness that caused his failure in the Tests. This recklessness is borne of excessive pride, arrogance, over-confidence. These are things you can rely upon in his behavior. They are also what leads him to be erratic and unpredictable at the same time."

"At his Trials, Master, there was a point in the Trials when one has a decision to make. Was there anything after that decision that could have allowed him to continue within the Order?

"He could have reigned in his aggressive tendencies. He could have moderated his aggressive antagonist approach with diplomacy, patience and restraint. These are not things at which he excelled."

"Could he learn them?"

"He could have. He did not. It is unlikely that he has."

"Probablility?"

"I have no numerical value to assign to that." A slight pause from the holographic Jedi Master. "If you are to engage in a confrontation with him, I would have imagine that he has not learned these skills. Restraint. Diplomacy. Moderation. "

"Would he listen to such?'

"Only in as much as it would gain him a tactical advantage. Find a way to fuel his arrogance and pride."

"Probability that he has fallen to the Dark Side and become a Sith?"

"These things I cannot tell. Any one can fall to the Dark Side. Any one could become a Sith, any Jedi. He did not become a Jedi, but he nearly did. If he lets his pride, aggression and lack of moderation overwhelm him, and was exposed to certain influences, it is highly possible that he could turn to the Dark Side and embrace the way of the Sith." Another pause. "If you are to engage him in a confrontation, his personality would indicate that he would attempt to display his greater prowess, to flaunt his superior position, to belittle or disparage the skills of the Jedi or any other opposition before making an aggressive and overconfident strike."

"Thank you, Master, very much. You have been most helpful."

"Do you need any other knowledge?"

"The knowledge I require I do not believe that you can foresee."

"A wise answer," and the vision of the Jedi faded back into the Holocron. Trevor stood up and waved his hand opening the door back into the Archives. Master Nu was nowhere to be seen and Trevor needed some time to study the architectural plans of the Sith headquarters. He felt a strong sense of foreboding. And he'd definitely need to follow up with the others, to find out what was going on. He studied the plans for a few hours, and decided as his head fell down for the fifth time in nearly three hours worth that he needed a walk.

He stood in the main corridor, wondering what he should do next. He realized that it was nearly time to contact Yendys. He walked the corridor, heading directly to the closest holographic communication room. He contacted the main communications center using a priority one code to the Ithorian communication relay requesting Yendys specifically. Nearly ten minutes later, Yendys appeared on the holonet pad in front of him. Trevor adjusted the image so that it was Yendys' full height. Yendys greeted Trevor coolly.

"Trevor,… and without the rest of the council I see." Trevor's lack of response gave Yendys the indication that this was definitely not the forum to discuss the breech of protocol. "How are things going?" she continued, seemingly indifferent but her voice betraying the nervousness within.

"We will meet you at Ithor."

"You are bringing the Jedi?"

"I am bringing help. And I need yours as well."

"Then you have it."

"How far are you willing to see this through, Yendys."

"With the exception of my experiences with the Order and their 'code', you know I'll see things through."

"I need you watch my back."

"Then that's what I'll do."

"I am also going to need your other skills."

"Ah ha! You don't know how to get in." She made it a statement of fact, seemingly already putting the puzzle together. Trevor brought her right back into the atmosphere.

"Oh, that…… I know how to get in. But I need your help to guarantee that I get in."

"Got it. You will meet me at Ithor, then?"

"Find a quiet café, similar to the one where we met recently." Trevor was not sure how secure things were, so he hoped that the audio clues would be enough for her to figure out where he was talking about. She nodded at him, letting him know that she understood.

"I am on Lumaas Station right now. I'll be at the _Baffor Root_. You can track me down there. How soon are you going to leave?"

"Give me a moment." He pulled out his comlink and tried to contact Master Tinn. The Jedi Commander immediately responded.

"Master Tinn, how soon will be ready?"

"I am altering the plan a little bit." The clanmates looked at one another in surprise. This was NOT what they expected. "I have contacted the shipyard at Ithor and have arranged for the preparation of some of the final components we are going to need for the ship. They are going to work on them while we head over there. That way, we will have to spend less time waiting here preparing. So we will be ready to leave in two hours."

"I'll meet you in the freighter's hanger bay in ninety minutes."

"Would you like to have your Whitecloak docked for the trip? We will be bringing at least one space cruiser, similar to the _Crystal Phoenix._"

"Yes, having it will give you a chance for parts, too."

"Very well." Trevor turned his head towards Yendys' direction. "We will be at Ithor in approximately fifty-two hours."

"I'll hold you to that. See you then. Remember, _Baffor Root_."

Trevor's face broke into a slight grin as Yendys' image disappeared. He left the holonet center and was going over his list when he realized that he had done nothing about ground forces. Other than his three clanmates, Shudo, Kymber and Zao Chun made six, there was no other Jedi that were part of the ground forces. He wasn't sure if he would need more when he walked by Meditation Room 3. Trevor's fatigue hit him like a wampa and he did not notice the occupant of Meditation Room Three leaving. He crashed head-on to Master Windu. Trevor apologized profusely, but Windu shrugged it off.

"It would seem that this mission has kept you preoccupied, Trevor."

"I was going over some of the things that we would need and I was not paying attention Master. Please –"

"Trevor. No need to apologize. I've run over Master Yoda on more than one occasion. Now, tell me what has filled your mind today, young Jedi."

"Not knowing the strength and size of the ground forces that may or may not be on Ssureth, I was wondering if you would be willing to be a part of the ground forces. If you believe that the force that I have gathered is enough to handle the droids and Dashade."

Windu ticked off with his fingers as he spoke, "With you are Masters Shudo and Thomree, Master Thomree's padawan and the three Jedi who assisted you with the bounty hunters. In addition to the additional Jedi that we are sending along with you on board two Jedi cruisers, you should have sufficient ground forces."

Trevor realized that the Council understood the complexity of the mission he was being given and had already put into motion the additional ground forces that a Jedi team would need. He bowed to Master Windu. "Thank you, Master," was all that he could say, fatigue weighing him down. His objective was a bit short-sighted, so he was very glad to have the Council's support in this venture.

"I would consider going myself if there weren't other matters to also consider that will require my attention here."

Trevor bowed deeply. "Thank you, Master. I…I would have been honored to have you join us."

"Preparations are going well?"

"They are well underway. We are going to continue the preparation at Ithor, prior to the jump to Ssureth."

"Send a communication back to the Council only if matters change drastically upon reaching Ithor. I'll count on Master Tinn and some of the others to provide updates after your arrival in the Ssureth system. Your task will be to focus on the matter at hand."

"Viko." Trevor's skin crawled at the name. Another question popped into Trevor's head. "Master, have you ever run into a Sith?"

"Master Obi-Wan Kenobi has. You should talk to him."

"Is he around?"

"Unfortunately, no. I would send him if he was."

Trevor nodded. He felt as prepared as he was ever going to be . It was now or never. He bowed to the Jedi Master, who replied back.

"May the Force be with you." Those six words suddenly seemed very important and Trevor held the bow for more than the customary half second. He raised his torso up from the bowing posture. Mace was staring into the handmade blindfold that Trevor constantly wore, and nodded slightly. Trevor turned around, and walked back to his quarters to gather what remaining supplies he would need. He grabbed a bag, placed a couple changes of clothes and all of the training remotes from his trip to Alderaan. He had not even changed the settings on them. He did not know if they would be necessary, but it never hurt.

Trevor walked into the hanger bay, bumping into Warren Zoff, another human member of the Nexu Clan. They greeted each other enthusiastically.

"I heard that you were recruiting for a mission, Trevor."

"Werren, I have done no such thing."

"Are you kidding? Word all over the Temple is that you are going to be going up against a Sith, just like Master Obi-Wan. No way I wanted to miss this."

At that, Trevor felt a slight tremor in the Force. He turned his vision around, and noted that Masters Yoda and Windu were watching them from an observation lounge above the hanger bay. Trevor turned his face to the pair, bowing slightly. The wizened face of Yoda nodded back, silently wishing him well. The clicking of Yoda's gimer stick could barely be heard as the pair of Jedi Masters moved away from the windows. Windu turned back, nodded once, and followed Yoda out of the room. Trevor turned his attention back to Zoff.

"Well, I, for one, am glad to have you along. It will make it easier to pair you off with someone."

Werren cocked his head, and Trevor motioned him inside.

"Sorry, old friend. I have been running around for the last three hours trying to cram a great deal inside my head."

"No problem. Why don't you get some rest? You look exhausted."

"Thanks, but I want to check out the command center. Head inside the main hold and find yourself a bunk. Noa, R'We'Nok, and Dutana should be nearby."

Warren nodded, leaving the Miraluka with his own thoughts. He took the short trip to the command center, where he was nearly run over by his own enthusiastic droid as he entered. E5's jabbering and whistling nearly made Trevor wish for an interpreter, until the droid pushed itself into Trevor, forcing him to make a hasty retreat out of the command center. E5 knew how to fly a larger ship, such as the freighter especially with it's time on the _Crystal Phoenix_. Trevor decided that the first thing he needed was sleep. He walked to the nearest open bunk room, selected a simple cot, and put his head down, falling asleep nearly instantly. The door to his room was open as Dutana came walking down the corridor ten minutes later. The snoring issuing forth from Trevor's room was so loud, that she nearly drew her lightsaber the first time she heard the loud intake. She forced his door closed, and let the others know not to disturb him, unless it was a dire emergency. The rest of the clan followed suit, and soon five Jedi were asleep on the freighter, bound for the planet of Ithor.

The travel to Ithor was surprising basic, time being filled with drills and studying. Trevor's training remotes certainly came in handy during the journey. Most of the Clan had studied together so they knew how to duel around each other's strengths and weaknesses. But Trevor had set the remotes at nearly the highest level, not to hurt his friends but to give them enough of a warning that this was what they had trained for their entire lives. Each Jedi understood that their 'leader' was nervous, but Noa's joking nature took over early on. Trevor was studying some plans when Noa interrupted him.

"Look, if we are going to go up against these Dashade, don't you think that we should be practicing against something a little more challenging, like, say, one another?"

Trevor turned his face up, focusing on the seemingly innocuous comment from his clanmate. He silently closed the book, took a deep breath, and stood up. He folded his cloak and nodded to Noa once, a pre-arranged signal to begin a duel. Noa ignited his blue saber while Trevor's fingers engaged his own. The two duelists tested each other's defenses, trying to find gaps and holes that might be there. Sparks flew off of the blades as they contacted with one another. The two circled, each trying to best the other. The others, realizing that this duel showcased the best of their clan, allowed silence to fill the room, the hum of the blades the only conscious sound. Trevor nodded slightly, with Noa giving him a slight smirk. The two had always been fair duelists, but Noa had the distinct advantage of having a slightly longer reach and a perfect record thus far against Trevor.

Sensing weakness, Trevor smoothly lanced out at Noa's right side, slashing down towards Noa's front foot. Noa blocked the swipe and started to swing back underneath the attack when he realized that Trevor had already changed the blade's direction from down the side to up. Noa twisted, allowing the silver blade to continue overhead harmlessly. Trevor knew that he could have struck down just as quick, separating Noa's head from his shoulders in one swipe, so he allowed the swing to follow through, flying overhead and back to a ready stance, waiting Noa's next move. Noa turned, blue blade at the ready, eyes wide. He realized that Trevor's skills had grown exponentially, took a step back and disengaged his blade. Trevor did the same, nodding to his mate. He turned to the others, who stared at the apprentice Jedi Weapons Master. Shouts and clapping could be heard amongst the three onlookers. Trevor nodded his head.

"Look, these Dashade don't fool around. They don't care that you are Jedi Knights. They go for the kill, right off the bat. They don't show up on infrared sensors, they can sense your presence in the Force, and their blaster will kill you faster than most anything you have encountered before. They look forward to the battle and get stronger as it goes on."

The gathering looked at one another, each realizing that their friend had much more experience with the Dashade than anyone in the Order, being the only Jedi alive to have encountered them; he knew what he was talking about. They nodded, acknowledging that their friend wasn't just training; he was out there 'doing', living up to the Jedi Order and the Code in ways that they had not thought possible.

"You all volunteered for this and have all made your own contributions to the Order. I don't want to have any of you die on me. Which is why I suggest that you find a partner and stick next to that person for the remainder of this mission. From what I have studied, Sith tend to be very nasty when it comes to boobytraps and the like. Keep an active link open, as we might encounter Dark Side energies. Use each other as a beacon to the Light."

Noa spoke up. "What about you?"

"I have a partner on this mission." Trevor did not turn, but the tone of voice was enough to keep the jokester at bay in Noa's mind. He nodded, leaving the subject alone.

The others returned to their drilling, jokes and comments replaced by a sense of urgency and danger. Constructive comments floated down the hall as Trevor left them to return to his quarters to continue studying the Sith information that Master Yaddle had entrusted to him. What discouraged him most was that every Sith in history seemed to find new and ingenious ways to prevent enemies and allies alike from reaching the inner sanctum. Trevor knew that this information may just save his life, so he continued to study each set of plans and their function. He continued to study until his eyes started to feel dry. He turned the datapad off, not hearing any sound within the cabin other than the whine of the engine. The freighter was quiet, the Jedi having finished their drilling, preparing for the coming battle. Trevor could feel the calm like an early morning stillness on a mountain top pond. He turned his study lamp off and allowed sleep to overtake him.

The Ithorian starship control office was in disarray. The night crew was just coming on-shift and the head traffic controllers were just finishing the nightly debrief when a junior technician howled from her chair. When the supervisors turned, They saw a large freighter surrounded by nearly fifty Whitecloak fighters exit from hyperspace near the shipyards. The sudden appearance gave the impression of a full-scale assault on the city-ships orbiting the lush surface of the Ithorian home world. Two Republic cruisers were trailing the group slightly, as if to prevent any one from escaping. However, a coded message received from one of the cruisers alerted the traffic controllers that these ships were supposed to arrive at this point. Whitecloaks were the Jedi favorite craft at this time, so when a large force such as this was seen, naturally, invasion or attack were the first words in the minds of others.

Just as the shock of the Jedi task force had started to sink in, another group of starships streaked in, merging with the first. Battle group formations formed almost instantly, causing the air traffic techs to breathe a sigh of relief. They redirected the battle group towards the large landing platforms that were the Ithorian shipyards. One of the techs voiced what everyone else was thinking upon realizing that a large ship was right in the middle of the entire bunch.

"Wonder what that freighter did? Must have REALLY pissed off the Jedi."

Upon the completion of the jump, Trevor immediately contacted Saesee Tinn for any additional instructions. Tinn's response was measured, and yet dismissive as well.

"Trevor, you need to rendevous with Arctell as soon as possible. Is Noa still with you?"

"Yes, Master, he is, along with the rest of the Nexu Clan. We were discussing the fact that we are going headlong into an area of strong Dark Side energy. Could you forward to the others to partner up? That way, they can assist should the dark energies interfere with them."

Tinn's head bobbed on the holoprojection. "Good thinking. I'll get on that right away. Have Noa drop you off at the nearest platform, find Arctell and meet us at the ship yards. We still have some modifications to do to that freighter."

Trevor and Tinn signed off. Noa took over the controls as Trevor headed to his room to chance his clothing. He decided that going in normal Jedi garb might not be able to get around as easily. His white shirt, black vest and pants seemed to fit the guise of a pilot more than a Jedi. He strapped a blaster to his left leg and his lightsaber to his right. He could feel the ship slowing down, approaching the landing platform. He exited the room, and headed towards the freighter's docking area. The landing struts had barely taken any weight when Trevor jumped down, waving to Noa and Dutana in the command center. No sooner had he waved, the freighter blasted off again, destined for the shipyards.

Trevor merged with the crowds to find public transportation to the café. He found the _Baffor Root _rather easier than he anticipated. He entered the cantina, adjusting to the darkened room. The large cantina was upscale with fancy dining, casino area, and even had rooms to rent for those that required it. Trevor was slightly taken aback, but caught a glimpse of a lovely young Zabrak by the bar in the back who was looking around. He walked over to the bar, ordered a drink, and turned to the figure next to him.

"What are you having to drink?"

"I've been holding off."

"Have one, on me."

Eyebrows raised, she ordered a frilly drink, which surprised Trevor somewhat. Yendys' attire was a bit different than before. Instead of earthy tones, her outfit was a light red short sleeve shirt and dark pants. Her hair was held up by a small metal band and thrown over her left shoulder. Her tattooed face shown with anticipation as the Jedi sat next to her.

"So, you brought Jedi? Whitecloaks?"

Trevor nodded, the background noise of the bar drowning out their conversation. The bartender would not have been able to hear the conversation even standing three meters away. There was even someone stating the standard joke of "A Rodian walks into the bar…"

"Yes. And another surprise. We've been busy."

"So, I heard about some of the goings-on, back on Coruscant."

Trevor shrugged. "It's a little hectic."

"Six bounty hunters, huh?"

"Where are you getting your information from?" he asked incredulously.

It was her turn to shrug. "I have my sources," she sheepishly hinted.

"Those are pretty good sources, there you."

"Well, it wasn't like you did it in a back alley. It was a little bit noticeable."

Trevor gave her all the information that he had about the attack on the Princess Azulia, without giving names. They talked a little longer about the attacks.

"Well, what's the plan?"

Trevor reviewed the plans, going over the air wings and the ground forces. He told of the freighter confiscated months ago and what he planned to do with it. Yendys screwed her face.

"What are we going to do, sit on our hands?"

"You and I are going in the front door."

"Are we using the other stuff as a distraction?"

"Yes"

"Good. I was afraid that I would have to sit back and wait for a prolonged space battle while he escapes."

"We are going after him," Trevor's determination flowed off in waves, catching her off-guard with the intensity in his body language. She looked at him, seeing for the first time that his hair was a bit longer. And there was a hint of a beard on his normally clean shaven face. He looked a bit harried, but there was something about him now, more than ever, that attracted her to him. He turned his head, realizing that she was staring at him with a strange look in her eyes. Trevor continued with his train of thought.

"You and I need to work together, inside that Sith Temple. You need to stay connected to me when we get in there."

"Dark side?"

Trevor nodded. Her blue eyes sparkled with the lights playing out over the bar. He knew that there would never be anything between them, but it was nice to see her one more time.

"Same clan. We can do it."

"I will do my best to not let anything happen to you." Trevor's promise held the conviction of the entire Jedi Order. Yendys knew that his promise was heartfelt, so much so that if the Miraluka had eyes, there would be at least two tears in it. She decided to shrug it off, giving Trevor nothing more to worry about.

"Don't worry about me. I'll be watching your back."

"And I'll be watching yours."

"Don't forget to keep, uh, one…of…something on Talaan."

"Don't worry. If you keep your Force connection on me, we need to feed off of one another. Have you ever been in proximity to Dark Side aura?"

"Close enough. I have experienced my own share of personal Darkness in my life. I can take this."

"We'll get through."

"Talaan won't."

"Not if I have anything to say about it," Trevor agreed

"So, how long is it going to take to get your freighter refitted?"

"Total time, about six hours. I've been on site for about a hour now. Master Tinn said it was better for here than taking three days on Coruscant." Trevor took a moment to look at a chronometer behind the bar. His internal clock was telling him that it was nearing midday on Coruscant, but the patrons of the facility seemed to be partaking of their evening festivities, with drinks being served. Trevor had been studying and he definitely lost track of where he was. He turned his face back to Yendys, who was still staring at him resolutely.

"It should be done right around two or three in the morning. Where are you staying?"

"Right here, on the fifth floor."

"Get your things."

"I have an extra room. They have really nice beds." The innocuous question did not escape Trevor's notice, but he felt that he needed to keep the subject on track.

"Get your stuff." Trevor repeated, with a bit more conviction than before.

Yendys nodded, knowing that she was not going to win. "Where are we going?"

"You'll see." Trevor did not want to give away anything yet, but felt the need to keep his new Force-partner in sight. She stood up from the table, nodding. Trevor also stood, following her out of the cantina and towards the turbolift. She looked back, shaking her head, but not commenting otherwise. The pair disembarked from the turbolift and headed to the furthest room from the lift. Yendys opened the door, and Trevor's mind took in the entire room in an instant. The bed, which she had mentioned so casually before, was made entirely of moss and trees. Trevor walked over, rubbed his hand over the bed coverings. The mossy blanket was cool to the touch.

Yendys gathered a few items and placed them into a carrying bag. She watched Trevor examine the bed with a smile across her face.

"I am going to buy me a bed like this one day. It is the most comfortable bed I have ever slept in."

Trevor smiled, turning his face towards her. "Of that, I have no doubt." He looked at her as she smiled back at him and felt slightly guilty for removing her from her life. "Tell you what, if we get through this," he began. She stopped packing, turning around and watching him. "Um…if we both get through this, uh, we'll come back. You can show me around. And maybe I'll find out how comfortable these beds are for myself." He felt his ears getting red, but figured a week with Yendys would last for a lifetime. It had been many years since they had walked around a city together, last time was when they were nearly adults in Coruscant.

She looked at him quizzically. "You're on," she walked over and gave him a warm embrace, then continued packing her belongings. Trevor took a moment to extend his senses, creating a connection in the Force between him and Yendys. The bond immediately pulsed, and Yendys turned around, winking. Trevor left the bond alone and waited for her to complete her task.

Ten minutes later, they were on a public transport shuttle to the shipyards. As they cleared the station heading across open space to the outer shipyards, the Xeddonian fighters zoomed around them in formation. Trevor watched them, figuring that Azulia was leading them in practice runs before going into battle. He watched Yendys' face for a reaction to the sleek-looking blue and white starships. She regarded them with professional envy, but not much else. Trevor had told her basically of the distraction plans, but had forgotten to mention the Xeddonian involvement. The rest of the ride was uneventful, and the pair arrived fifteen minutes later on the main landing platform with nearly thirty Whitecloaks and three Jedi cruisers. The newest cruiser had a Whitecloak docked upon it, and Trevor recognized the symbols on the fighter to be Kymber's ship. Knowing that the Crystal Phoenix was supposed to be here, and they had more comfortable accommodations than the freighter, he grasped her arm, redirecting her toward the Phoenix. She tensed slightly as Master Shudo Laan exited, slightly surprised to see his most recent padawan approaching. The two greeted each other warmly, Shudo grasping his shoulder firmly. Yellow marks spotted his crest, giving Trevor the impression that he was happier than he had ever seen before.

"Is Kymber on board, Master?"

"Yes, she is. We weren't expecting you for a few hours."

"Well, I thought it might be prudent to be near the ship, in case the modifications got done early."

"Good thinking, as always, my young padawan." Shudo's smile shown like a binary star. "You are looking well, Trevor. Not too many scraps on you. I look forward to talking more later." Shudo released his shoulder and turned to the newcomer. "Yendys Arctell, welcome to the Crystal Phoenix. Glad to have you assistance in this matter." Shudo's genuine gratitude seemed to cause an additional layer of defenses to go up. Trevor sensed this, and allowed a calm thought through the bond to force her drop her shields a tad. She responded with a slight twitch of her mouth, and bowed slightly to Shudo.

"Sure. Any time." Yendys responded politely.

Shudo bowed slightly, allowing the two to enter the ship. Trevor went up the ramp first, being most familiar with the ship. As he turned down the main corridor to the rest of the ship, a splash of blonde hair could be seen peeking out of a doorway. Kymber Thomree's hair had grown quite a bit since the last time he'd seen her. Now braids lined the face that Trevor knew going through the last part of the Jedi Order. She nearly raced down the hall, embracing him with more emotion that he was expecting. He returned the hug, as well.

"Kymber, it is great to see you again. It's been a while."

"Yes, Trevor, it has. At least four months, I believe."

A soft footfall interrupted the family reunion. Kymber's padawan had entered the hall, looked at the two Jedi's in near surprise. Zao Chun's face was covered by a thin veil. Nothing about her face was remarkable, yet her hair was ink-black. Her small frame was easily overshadowed by Kymber's.

"Knight Trevor Gul'dan, I have heard many interesting things about you."

Trevor's quick wit took over before his mind could make him stop. "And I'll bet half of them are lies." Zao's eyes nearly popped out of her head when Kymber socked him in the shoulder. Trevor laughed, causing Zao to be even more surprised. "Master Thomree, forgive my attempt at levity. I was only trying to make your padawan more at ease. And by the way, belated congratulations on your promotion. It couldn't have happened to a nicer Jedi."

Kymber's cheeks turned slightly red. "We have adjusted to local time. We were going to have our evening meal then rest up before the trip to Ssureth. There is plenty of room here on the Phoenix if you'd rather take one of these bunks. There is a couple of smaller rooms still available."

Trevor turned to Yendys. "Go ahead and take one of them."

Yendys nodded. "Thanks for the offer for a meal. However, I already had one, waiting for this clown to show up," she pointed toward Trevor, "I think I am going to rest up now."

Kymber waved her past, "Third room on the left and right are available."

Trevor made sure Yendys was settled then met up with Shudo, Kymber and Zao in the kitchen. They all ate and spent nearly an hour just talking amongst themselves. Trevor sat back at one point and realized that he missed these people. It had the feel of a family reunion and Trevor relaxed more than usual. He realized that the bond was still open, and he allowed those feeling to run down the bond. He sat back and watched the new member of Shudo's little 'family'. Zao, being relatively new, seemed to be a very bright girl, but she was certainly the quietest amongst the four. Trevor got the feeling that, though she was trustworthy, there was a strong wall holding something back. _This is a complicated person,_ Trevor thought, _No wonder the Order wanted Kymber to have her for a padawan._ An hour later, Trevor excused himself to rest up. He fell asleep right away.

Trevor's dreams were surprisingly calm. The only notable part was Yendys seemed to intrude on the dream, but he realized that it was not the dream. Rather it was the bond that Trevor created which caused Yendys to enter his dream. She was awake, he realized. Moments later, Trevor awoke from his sleep, and gathered his belongings. He walked down to the main command center, where Shudo was waiting.

"Master Tinn informs me that the freighter was done nearly a half hour ago. I mentioned that you were sleeping and we should wait for you to wake up before taking off. He will meet you there. I am going to come along as well."

Trevor nodded, and walked out of the main bridge and down to the end of the ramp, where Yendys was pacing. She seemed to be a jumble of emotions. Trevor continued to send calming waves to her to keep her calm. The only noticeable trait was that her right foot kept jumping. He smirked as he walked over to the modified freighter. The trio walked across the hanger bay to the Corellian Action IV transport.

The most noticeable change was the throng of Jedi standing near the loading ramp to the transport. Noa, R'We'Nok, Dutana and Werren were all milling around, trying to look busy. Trevor realized that they were all anxious to see Yendys once again. In testing their bond, Trevor got the sense that Yendys was getting more and more nervous, wondering how her former clan mates would react. Trevor closed off the bond, trying to keep from laughing at the forthcoming uncomfortable silence. Master Tinn walked down the loading ramp, waving to the approaching trio. The four Nexu Jedi all turned, wiped their hands and joined Shudo, Trevor and Yendys for an impromptu meeting. Noa was the first to offer greeting to Yendys.

"Man, you are definitely treating yourself well, aren't you, Pip?" The youthful pet name Noa always used as a youngling came forth unbidden. Noa's eyes bulged slightly, wondering if he made a misstep. Yendys' head jerked back as if someone just smacked her.

"Well, Stretch, you want go a couple rounds?" Her face broke into a grin, hand outstretch. Murmurs turned to outright laughter as the six clanmates, current and former, quickly got reacquainted. The elder Jedi let them youngsters catch up for only a few moments, then Shudo cleared his throat. Trevor nodded, face towards his clan mates.

"Ok, gang. Let's break this up for now." A slight pause as the reason for the Clan reunion was suddenly pushed back in front of them. Trevor felt a slight tremble in the Force and turned his vision to find that Kymber and Zao had come out of the Phoenix to join them. As he adjusted to having a third Jedi Master and her padawan join in, Princess Azulia, dressed in her blue-white fighter suit, walked from around the freighter.

"Good," she said. "You haven't started yet. Do you mind if I sit in on this impromptu conference?"

"Not at all, Your Highness. Glad to have you here." Trevor turned things over to Master Tinn, who nodded.

"Our current plan of attack is this: Trevor and Yendys will fly the freighter into the Ssureth system. Moments later, all of the starfighters will jump into the system and begin to fire at you. Along the hull of the freighter are explosive charges, not enough to cripple the ship, causing enough damage to give the ground forces the impression that you are under fire. The explosives are set to go off when a laser bolt is in the vicinity. It will take out some non-critical systems and make it look like the ship is in trouble. The Xeddon and Jedi starfighters are going to follow as you enter the atmosphere. At that point, the cruisers will appear and make a landing about one kilometer from the freighter's landing point. Hopefully, we will have the ground forces attention so that you two can get into the Temple. It is a simple plan, but extremely dangerous. Trevor, give everyone your idea."

The Miraluka swallowed deeply, and took a step forward. "We are going into an area that will be heavily seeped in the Dark Side. Find yourself a partner and latch on to them. Be each other's Light. If you work together, the Dark Side will not bother you." Trevor turned his face towards each of his friends and allies. He was uncomfortable with Zao joining this mission, as he believed this was her first mission. He looked directly at Shudo as if asking a question. A single nod, and Shudo motioned for Kymber and Zao to follow him back to the Phoenix. Trevor nodded at the trio of retreating backs. He knew that Shudo would not leave the newest Jedi Master and her padawan by themselves. He did not want to be responsible for the death of a new padawan, and he had the sinking feeling that he would lose her in this battle. Tinn walked over to Trevor, and whispered in his ear.

"They will be fine, padawan."

"Yes, Master. But I can't shake the feeling that something is going to happen."

"Concentrate on the here and now, Trevor. Control what you can. Your mission is to go after Talaan. Remember it." Trevor turned to the Jedi Commander. The visage seemed to show more worry than ever before. "Your most difficult mission is ahead. Your focus is ahead but not too far."

Trevor just nodded. He shook off the fog that had surrounded him, and turned abruptly as the freighter's engines spun up. Tinn raced towards his fighter, wondering what was going on in the young man's mind. Trevor decided that fuming and worrying about something he could not control. He headed into the control area and E5 whistled a greeting. Trevor nodded, giving the droid his standard "wake me if there's anything wrong" instructions. E5 whistled an affirmative and Trevor walked down to his bunk. The room was one of the officer's rooms, but Trevor felt like just a passenger. He removed his robe, turned up the heat in the room and removed his tunic. Turning his robes into a roll, he placed his head back, laid down and almost immediately fell into a deep sleep.

The dreams did not come as Trevor rested his body. His mind was going over the entire plan one more time. Possibilities were reviewed, discharged and reviewed once again. Traps and surprises popped out from behind posts and dark faces seemed to jump out from behind pillars that blocked his view of the end of the encounters. As an extremely dark visage faded, the small voice that kept alert during meditation caught a strange noise, like a door opening and closing. The dream faded almost immediately as the room began to solidify into his quarters on the freighter. Trevor's senses went into overdrive, as he expected some Dark Knight to come flying out. He adjusted his vision so that the room would be lit up. A figure could be seen standing just inside the door. The figure's outline could be seen standing next to the door. Trevor adjusted his vision once more, and the familiar tattoo markings of Yendys' face came into focus. Her face was smooth and serene, as if happy to watch him sleep. The next movement surprised even Trevor. She walked over to the bed and sat down next to him. He sat straight up, blankets falling off the bed.

"What's wro--?" Trevor began, but was interrupted by a soft hand on his chest. She leaned closer to him, whispering just loud enough to be heard over the hum of the engines.

"We're probably not going to get this chance again."

"What are you –"

"Just shut up." Her voice, though no higher than a whisper, carried the weight of a black hole. Her blue eyes pierced through Trevor's defenses quickly. Her evening wear was normal tradional spacer wear. Her hair was down around her shoulders. The look she gave him spoke volumes and the feelings he had for her as a child. He opened his mouth to speak, but she placed a finger over his mouth.

"I don't know that we'll live to see this again." She leaned forward, removed her fingers and kissed him deeply. Trevor allowed it, and responded in kind.

The chronometer on the wall counting down to the expected arrival time to Ssureth showed just over one standard hour left in the journey. Trevor sat on the hard freighter floor, legs crossed in front. His thoughts tettered between his encounter with Yendys and the impending mission that was just over the horizon. He put his feelings for Yendys in the back of his mind, knowing that Shudo and the Order would not allow these feeling to continue to grow. He began his standard meditation, allowing the Force to flow through him. His connection to the Force surprised him with sudden strength. His battle mantra that he usually used seemed to make everything much clearer. He felt the Force warm his body and mind more completely than he ever. He allowed this to continue for what he seemed to be only a few minutes. He awoke from his trance to find the proximity alarm going off. Trevor grabbed his shirt and vest, heading for the bridge. Yendys, already strapped into the copilot's seat, turned around when the door opened. The smile on her face lit up the room. Trevor, for the first time in his life, wished he could wink. The slight smirk on his face was the only emotion he allowed himself to have. He sat down in the pilot's chair, and gave E5 the command to revert to normal speed.

The planet of Ssureth filled the viewscreen as the freighter slowed from the jump from hyperspace. The orange sun bathed the planet in a constant late afternoon light. The majority of the planet, based on the readings on the sensors, showed a variety of landscapes. Deep trenches, high mountains, extensive swamps and a convoluted plateau network dominated the planet. Trevor's initial review of the location of the pseudo-Temple showed a trench digging directly to the east of a platform extending over the trench. A sudden lurch wrenched Trevor's attention back to the current part of the mission. Sensors showed three squadrons of fighters had emerged from hyperspace and snuck up on Trevor with more reverting moment to moment. He yanked the ship around, and another blast rocked the ship. The explosive devices around the ship were set not cause much damage. The first explosion took out the communications array, leaving only the receiving portion of the communicator working. Trevor and Yendys worked together to make the flight of their ship look like there was a definite problem. A whistle from one of the droids alerted Yendys.

"We've got more company."

Ships emerged from the cloud cover from the planet's surface. Trevor tried to count the ships, but realized that both sides of this battle were extremely balanced. The Xeddonians were untested in battle and unaccustomed to the strain, but the Jedi offset that inexperience with their unique abilities. Reviewing tactics and the information that was received prior to planning the mission, Trevor knew that Jedi starfighters alone would not have been enough.

A pair of starfighters from the surface broke off on their approach to inspect the freighter heading to the surface. Trevor could not get a good view of the pilots, but the pair returned to the main fight, ignoring the injured ship heading towards the surface. Trevor piloted the ship down through the atmosphere, following a pre-determined path garnered from the data that Yendys had entered from her previous trip to the planet nearly a week ago. Trevor scanned the surface, finding a large power source to the north. He turned the ship towards the power source. As he completed the turn, the communication speaker squawked with an unfamiliar language in an angry voice. One of the early explosives took out half of the communications array, only allowing reception of communications. The voice being transmitted to the freighter seemed to be yelling, but neither of the pilots felt the need to respond. In flying through the cloud cover, the pair noticed the outlines of a temple. A landing platform could be seen extending out over a large canyon. Trevor guided the ship down as best he could towards the platform. The voices over the com-link continued to be attempt to contact them and the pilots continued to ignore it. Their best chance to get close was to pretend to be wounded and needing assistance. Two Xeddon starships flew overhead, chased by a Sith ship. Trevor watched the trailing ship getting hammered by a Jedi Whitecloak. The debris field falling from the sky shown like a firework display. Trevor guided the freighter down towards the planet without too much interference. The landing was made rough by E5 firing off another charge just before landing, making it seem as if the freighter was on its last legs. Trevor turned his attention towards the temple, seeing six figures moving towards them with a steady pace.

"You ready for this?" Trevor turned to his partner.

"No, but then again, who ever is?

The three Jedi cruisers had continue pursuing the ailing freighter until it disappeared under the cloud cover. At a prearranged time, the pilots veered away from their pursuit to begin landing the Jedi ground forces on the surface. Some of the Coruscant security forces were amongst the Jedi to augment the forces somewhat, but most knew that the Jedi, numbering nearly seventy five, would handle most of the work. They watched the Jedi prepare, more out of curiosity then actually doing anything. They watched as Kymber ran Zao through some calming exercises, while Shudo closed his eyes, doing some such thing. They knew there would be casualties, but no one dwelt on it much, except for one small Jedi that most did not pay much attention to. Zao Chun listened to her new Master as she repeated the calming mantra, but was secretly wondering why she was here on the eve of what history might one day call an epic battle. She forced her morbid thoughts away by paying attention to Kymber's Master. Shudo had spoken to nearly all of the Jedi, paying special attention to the Nexu Clan who had specifically requested to travel on board the _Phoenix_. She caught the many looks of respect as the Anx Jedi walked by, wondering just how special this imposing Master really was. She adjusted her tunic without thinking, fidgeting with the clasp like a star-struck schoolgirl. Deep in her heart, she wanted to run away, but seeing the way everyone carried themselves, readying themselves for the possibility of death and accepting their fate, whatever it was, curbed her anxiety and lifted her spirits.

Kymber felt a slight shift from her padawn and knew exactly what she was feeling. Fighting was not her strong suit, but had learned much from Master Shudo over the years. She knew that he was a very good teacher and had learned some hard lessons over the years. Stories of Shudo in his younger days and even in his later years made her glad that he spent the extra time to teach her the ways of the lightsaber, and making her an even better weapon. She also realized that her strengths were not in the fight, but in other things. Trevor's skill with the saber had nearly become legendary since he took on the mantle of Jedi Knight. She felt so proud of her 'younger' Jedi brother that when she heard he had requested to be a Jedi Weapon Master, she nearly cried. Only her duty to her current assignment allowed to temper her emotions. Knowing that Trevor had worked so hard to find out who was behind the attack on the Temple and everywhere else made her decide instantly to be on the front line with her Master. Zao would be in good hands with Shudo and her watching. She just knew it.

A claxon blared, notifying all on-board to get ready to depart. Nearly as one, the Jedi shed their cloaks and pulled their lightsabers from the belts. The sudden ignition of more than twenty lightsabers nearly deafened the Phoenix contingent, but the roar from the Nexu Clan could clearly be heard as they disembarked. As Zao was about to head out, an hand grasped her shoulder.

"Padawan, stay near your Master. We are going to be outnumbered, but her training and yours will protect you. May the Force be with you." Shudo whispered, green blade augmenting his coloration. She nodded to him, looked over to Kymber, who nodded as well. And the three raced down the ramp into the swampland nearly a kilometer away from where the freighter landed.

The interior of the Dark Temple was alive with activity. The warning claxon whined and the battle droids were activated almost immediately upon sensor awareness of the cruisers. As they broached the atmosphere, the six battalions of the battle droids and nearly one hundred Dashade were loaded onto a huge cargo skif, nearly fifty meters long and forty-five wide. The repulsor lifts carried the deadly force up to the surface at approximately the same time as the ground force landing on the ground.

Trevor watched the radar scope as the three cruisers landed. He grabbed his cloak and threw it over himself. He was glad that he had donned goggles instead of his normal headband, hoping against hope that no one would recognize him either way. He and Yendys headed outside the freighter as if to inspect the damage. Trevor spied the figures coming closer, making out four droids and two other humanoids.

"Follow my lead." Trevor whispered in Huttese.

Yendys just nodded, unsure of what Trevor was going to pull out of the proverbial blasthelmet. He exited the ship from the rear, and immediately walked to the blind side of the ship. He did not want to give much away, and if any action was going to take place, he certainly felt that keeping it hidden was a much better use of the ship. He raced up the ladder, inspecting the damage on the top of the freighter. He could see the figures pointing to the ship and at the new figure on top. Trevor began shouting at Yendys in Huttese

"Look! I don't want to stand around here all day discussing your little pranks! Start cannibalizing the parts so we can get the bucket of bolts off the ground!"

Yendys' eyebrows shot up, catching on immediately to his ruse. "All right, flyboy. You want me to get the dang parts, I will! Just next time you want me to join you, forget it! I'm not listening to any more of your fuzz-ball schemes."

"Sweetheart, I'm not the one who wanted to shop at the Jedi Library and take a book without asking!"

"Buddy, you have no idea how close I was to that thing! A microsecond more and I would have had it."

"Whatever, get that electrowrench and get cracking."

By this point, the six figures approaching were definitely within shouting distance. The two humanoid figures, Trevor could see, had three appendages on each hand. He immediately recognized them as Dashade and realized that if they scanned him even once, the jig was up.

"YOU!" shouted one of the Dashade, who had a blaster rifle over his shoulder and a vibroblade at the hip. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm trying to fix my ship, what does it look like?" Trevor turned his face towards the new arrivals. Somehow the cowl of his cloak covered his face slightly, causing the taller of the two Dashade to draw his rifle.

"Get down, now."

Trevor felt along Yendys' bond and got a very tense feeling. "Great. Our day has gone from bad to worse."

"One!" the first waved his rifle in a downward motion.

"Ok, fine! I'm moving. Give me a second, will you?" Trevor walked back towards the ladder and climbed down. By this time two droids and positioned themselves near the base of the cargo ramp, weapons at the ready, but held down at the side. Trevor caught sight of the other Dashade reaching for a comlink, as if checking the registration markings of the ship. Trevor looked out over the plains to catch a glimpse of the ongoing battle for Ssureth.

The army repulsor sled carrying the Ssureth army stopped nearly two hundred meters away from the Jedi landing zone. The cruisers were busy firing up at the ancient Sith starfighters that continued to harass them from the air. The droids marched out of their transportation heading directly towards the enemy ships that had made their landing a mere moment before. All weapons were at the ready at the first sign of the enemy.

The Jedi had positioned themselves in a fashion that allowed each of them plenty of room to swing their sabers, but yet be able to support one another if necessary. As the Jedi escaped the confines of their respective ships, they were greeted with a barrage of laserfire from nearly twice their number in battle droids. The double gun toting droids fired mercilessly at the Jedi contingent. Luckily, Trevor's debriefing to the Council had filtered down to the rest of the Jedi ground force and the laser fire was deflected back at the droids nearly as often as they were taking fire. No Jedi went down in the initial attack, but the droids continued to advance up on the unwavering line of Jedi.

Trevor stood against the ship as the rifleman turned the corner. He kept the rifle training on the cloaked pilot, unsure of his identity. The Dashade was not sure who was the more dangerous of the two pilots in front of him, but the cloaked figured made him the most nervous.

"Take off hood."

The taller of the two threw up his hands. "What next, we going to dance?"

The Dashade knew that something was definitely not right, but he couldn't put his talon on it. He raised his rifle higher, but the creature on the other end of the rifle dropped the hood, giving him an angry stare. He'd had to endure those before, so this was nothing new. The goggles staring at him cause the man's eyes to shift somewhat. The Dashade was getting nervous now, so he asked a completely reasonable question.

"Take off goggles."

The goggled man pursed his lips and emphatically said, "No, I will not take these off. They keep the sun out of my eyes, ok? Something about this place makes my eyes hurt."

Yendys walked over to the side, away from Trevor to give each of them some separation. The Dashade ignored her for the time being, concentrating on Trevor, who continually kept badgering the Dashade.

"Look, what do you want? All we need is to repair-"

"Take off goggles now!" The Dashade wanted to be sure of the identity of the spacer who so bravely, or stupidly set down on their base.

"Why?" The belligerence in his voice was evident and the pitch was getting higher, trying to keep the attention away from Yendys who was moving closer to the droids.

"Do it, or I fire!" The Dashade had certainly lost his patience with this spacer. The master chief would have his head if he could not get simple statements out of this stranger.

"You really don't want me to do that," Trevor took a deep breath and concentrated on gathering the Force.

"One………. Two…………."

Trevor reached out with the Force, and yanked the rifle away from the unsuspecting Dashade. Utter surprise filled his face, but not for long. The virboblade whipped from its sheath and he took one step towards Trevor, but not before Yendys swung her blade and ignited it in the middle of his blade arm severing it from his body. The droids fired quickly, but their shots never even came close to their mark. Yendys deflected one bolt back, causing that automaton to stagger backwards.

Trevor ignited his blade and severed the head from the other droid's body. The falling Dashade's eyes rolled back into his head, shock taking over. The body slumped down to the ground and Trevor raced past to intercept the remaining Dashade. The remaining droids attempted to fire at Trevor, but the white blade blazed around, deflecting the shots back, damaging them enough so that his next swing tore them apart. Trevor realized that the remaining Dashade was not directly in front of him, so he immediately reversed his blade and pointed it behind him. The grunt of disgust confirmed his hunch. He turned around, bringing his saber to bear. The Dashade shook his head quickly and lashed out with a vibroblade. Unfortunately, the Dashade thought that Trevor would move closer. The blade lodged itself directly into the freighter and Trevor took advantage, slicing the arm clean off at the elbow. He turned around before the body even hit the ground, realizing that Yendys had easily dispatched the last droid.

She turned around, nodding to her Jedi partner. She then raced off towards the temple. Trevor heard a large laser cannon discharge, and turned back towards the battle.

Kymber and a Dashade were battling back and forth. Trevor noticed that a second Dashade was joining in and nearly sent a warning out to Kymber when he noticed a lightsaber in the Dashade's hand, which was really odd. Suddenly the Dashade ignited the saber directly into the first's back. Kymber took a step back, and Trevor watched the face change to Zao Chun's. He shook his head and realized that Zao was certainly going to be a challenge. The

The Jedi were easily handling the droids, but the legion of Dashade and lightsaber wielding droids were giving the Jedi all they could handle. Noa and the rest of the Nexu Clan were dealing fairly well with the Dashade. Shudo dispatched six droids with a complete turn of his body; half of the droids were sent spinning by the large tail, while the rest were shaved in two by his blade. Suddenly a large rock raised itself up, giving away the large laser cannon on the front. The spider-like droid looked as if it was rusting away as large amounts of water and mud fell from it. One of the many arms extended out and a dual headed axe reached down. A whine issued forth from the blades as they started spinning. The blade extended down into the muck spraying mud and stones all around. Jedi jumped out of the way, trying to avoid the debris.

Shudo heard the droid coming out of the water, and heard the laser cannon fire off. He leaned his body over and closed the distance between himself and the sudden surprise that was sprung on them. Shudo closed the distance quickly. When he arrived, he whipped the saber around, but the blade just bounced off. The look of shock was replaced by an immediate determined look and a constact whacking. Sparks showered the Jedi while he bored a hole into the back leg of the spider droid. A group of Jedi ran over to the droid and began to hack away at the droid, avoiding the spinning blade.

Trevor began to turn around when four lightsabers caught his attention. Kymber and Zao had been cornered by two droids, firing directly at the Jedi. Trevor saw that the droids were giving Zao a hard time, making her work extra hard. Sweat fell off her face and the exertion was wearing on her quickly. Kymber was also pushed to the test by the droids laser fire. Kymber backed up, and suddenly a red lightsaber protruded from her chest. The droid attacking from the front stopped firing, and turned to the smaller Jedi. Zao screamed, seeing Kymber's body drop to a kneeling position, then fell backwards. Shudo stopped hammering at the droid, and Trevor could see the red and purple hue of his skin shine in the Ssureth light. Trevor nearly screamed in agony at the deadly attack of the droids. Suddenly, a gentle voice reached into his mind.

_Trevor. Remember your mission. Make my sacrifice worthwhile. I will be watching you. Good luck, my brother._

The sadness that suddenly filled his soul was staggering. He took one step towards the battle, but felt a small tug along the bond. He turned his vision to Yendys. He could see the tears streaming down her face, presumably from the sudden anguish that filled Trevor's soul. She pleaded with him mentally to move towards the temple. The voice continued, vading as it did so.

_Trevor. Remember the mission. _

He nodded once and rising, not even realizing that he had knelt down. He stood up, ignited his saber and ran up the slope towards the temple. Yendys ran along side him, giving him a shoulder to lean on. As they neared the temple, a large scraping sound could be heard ahead. Jedi and rogue stopped, watching another large spider creature extracting itself from the temple and moving down the walkway toward the landing platform. Trevor suddenly had an way to empty the helplessness that threatened to overpower him. He disengaged his lightsaber, placed it on his belt and walked ahead. Yendys tried to grab his elbow, but the way he had his shoulders set, she was not going to stop him.

Trevor gathered the Force around him, not caring if he sounded any alarms. He watched the spider droid head out onto the end of the cliff to turn around and look around. He reached his hands out, pushing the Force out trying to get the creature off-balance. One leg reach up to take the next step, but could not move it any more. Trevor then pulled the leg out over the edge. The creature realized that it could not move so it tried to stop its movement. Trevor continued to pull on it, moving it closer and closer to the edge. Panic set in and the droid tried to move with the remaining legs. Trevor continued to pull it out over the edge. First one leg, then two, four and soon the entire body fell down, tumbling over and over as it raced down through the canyon.

Yendys walked over to Trevor placing her hand on his shoulders.

"Come on, lover. We still have a job to do."

Trevor shook his head. "He isn't getting out of there, is he?"

"No, in fact I think that he's waiting for us."  
"Distinctly possible. I'd hate to disappoint him."

A small bark emitted from her mouth. "I'm sure. Let's go."

The pair finished the walk up to the Temple, igniting their lightsabers to see in the dark. They looked around, and not seeing anything, began their trek into the dark. Ten meters into the temple, the doors behind them slid shut. The big surprise was the laser wall that erupted directly in front of the doors, effectively shutting them in for the long haul. 


	14. Chapter 14

ENDINGS AND BEGINNINGS

A large disturbance in the Force distracted Shudo from his medical treatment of the body of his former padawan. The burn mark in the middle of her chest gave Shudo all the information he needed to know instinctively, but his heart did not want to believe what his analytical mind and the Force was telling him; Kymber was now one with the Force she so longingly tried to understand. Zao Chun's screams could be heard as she continued her assault on the remaining dual-gunned battle druids. The Dashade were constantly trying to get to her, but Noa had interspersed himself between them, giving the Dashade more than they could handle. A tear welled up in Shudo's left eye as he wished her well on her journey. He turned up from the body to view the rest of the battle.

The large spider-like droid was complete incapacitated by fifteen Jedi and the remnants of the droid army were being beaten back by the remaining ground forces. The whining of engines broke the marsh's silence as the Xeddonian and Jedi starships continued to battle the ancient Sith starships. Shudo surveyed the grounds and found only a few Jedi sprawled on the ground. Most were moving, while only a handful were still as stone. The imposing Jedi Master ignited his lightsaber and lunged forward to battle as a pair of Dashade had overpowered Noa and were about to dispatch him. The green blade swept across the humid air, a trail of water vapor following the Jedi's riposte. The two Dashade were completely caught off-guard by the large Jedi's attack, dissolving the victory as suddenly as they had grasped it from the Jedi now laying in the mud. Shudo continued on as he felt Zao's presence start down the path of the Dark Side. The Jedi Master placed himself next to Zao, and immediately parried the attack that she threw at him. He reached out with the Force, gently guiding her mind to relax and let fatigue take over. The blue lightsaber faltered slightly as she blinked back the suggestion. Shudo nodded slightly and sent a gentle question to the young padawan teetering on the Dark Side.

"Do you want Kymber sacrifice to be for naught?"

Tears filled the young woman's eyes as the sounds of battle continued around them. Shoulders slumping, Zao disengaged her blade. Shudo knelt down so that he was not so imposing. He grasped her shoulders and squeezed gently, allowing the two to share in the sorrow that had nearly drowned Zao only moments earlier. Shudo raised his head as he felt a sudden closing off of his only remaining padawan. He sent a silent wish, knowing that Trevor was now in a fight for his life.

Blue-white light bathed the upper corridor of the Sith Temple. Trevor and Yendys had ignited their blades almost as soon as the laser walls had erupted between them and the outer doors. The light from both sabers allowed Yendys to see more clearly the double doors at the other end than with just the small illuminators that were spaced evenly down the corridor. Trevor needed only a moment to adjust his vision to allow the cavern to focus completely. The Sith Shrine reminded him eerily of the museum exhibit on Alderaan so many months ago. Trevor shook off the similarities and examined their surroundings.

The large entranceway that they currently stood in was circular in design with a dark long hallway directly opposite the laser wall. Trevor extended his vision down the corridor to allow for recon of their surrounding. The hall was half the height of the entranceway, but certainly large enough for the spider droid that Trevor had just sent into the ravine. A starship might have fit, if not for the narrow door that led outside. Trevor's vision showed two alcoves, each on opposite sides, giving Trevor enough information to hazard a guess that this is where the spider-droid that until recently had been stored. The pair headed towards the far end of the hallway, hoping to deal with Talaan quickly. The entry at the far end was almost as tall as the passageway with no visible way to access it. Trevor and Yendys both searched the walls and floor for any types of surprises, adding their saber light to the already meager illumination. As they neared the far door, it suddenly slid open, rushing wind greeting them in welcome. Trevor searched the walls again, and berated himself for not noticing the sensors that were nearly knee-high.

The pair surveyed the large cavern on the other side of the door. The most noticeable attribute of the room was a large mine shaft in the middle of the room. Three turbolifts were stationed above the shaft, surrounded by a loading platform of some sort. Trevor walked over to the walkway that circled the turbolifts and turned his vision down. The rough-hewn shaft dropped down into the planet's core, continued past Trevor's sight, seemingly on forever. Yendys continued to investigate the contents of the room, but found no other egress point, other than the one they just entered. Trevor listened to sounds in the room and realized that the wind was a constant flow, blowing through the room. Yendys' hair was whipping around her face, and it was a constant battle for her to keep her eyes clear. Trevor waved her over, and the pair entered the nearest turbolift and closed the doors. The controls on the lift were rather simple; up, stop and down buttons were located on the left side of the door. Yendys pressed the down button as soon as the doors closed. The lift slowly dropped into the mine shaft, and quickly picked up speed on its journey down into the cored-out column. The small rectangular windows blinked faster as the lift picked up speed, passing small illuminators spaced down the lifttube.

Not know how long their journey would be, Trevor shut down his saber and reviewed what he knew of Sith architecture, to make sure that he prepared himself for what would be ahead. Most of the traps and devices that Sith used inside their fortresses were not made to be just large and imposing; they were made to scare the wits out of anyone who dared approached. Mercenaries and other professional solders would not be scared so easily and Jedi training taught early on to handle fear and its side effects. Trevor focused his vision inwardly, kneeling down in the middle of the floor and beginning a Jedi calming exercise. Yendys sat down cross-legged next to him and closed her eyes as well, gather up what energies she could prior to delving into the depth of the Darkness.

A sudden thought came to Trevor as the lift continued down the shaft. The wind inside was certainly greater than outside. _Why would there be more air movement than outside?_ The answer would not come to him immediately, so he categorized that particular question, until he had a better understand of where exactly he was in relation to the cargo ship that they arrived in.

The travel continued for nearly five minutes. Trevor guessed that they were below the level of marshlands where the Jedi and droid troopers were doing battle. The lift's repulsor engines whined as it slowed to a stop. Trevor tapped Yendys on the shoulder, and after getting her attention, pointed to the left side of the lift. She nodded as the doors opened onto a large room, similar to the one they had left earlier, with much more wind, due to four large turbines mounted into the walls and generators underneath each. Crates of archaic blast armor and helmets strewn around the room. Blaster pistols were also strewn around the room, with larger than normal grips, as if for a larger creature, like a Dashade. The mine seemed to have been abandoned many years ago. Trevor looked quickly at the armor and dismissed the idea of trying to use it. The large size would certainly have slowed him down, and he did not really want to take the time. The power generators were cabled directly to the turbines above, but Trevor also caught sight of a second set of power cabling heading directly into the rock. Realization took hold that these turbines had a primary power sources elsewhere and that these generators were a redundant power supply. A question drifted through his mind as to why someone would need high-powered generators and turbines deep within a mine shaft. But it did not form a cohesive thought, so Trevor continued on. They moved out of the lift, racing for a pile of shipping containers, hidden from any droids or workers who might be wandering through. Trevor was concerned about others nearby, so he opened himself up to the Force to sense any life forms nearby. What he got was a sudden surprise.

As he opened himself, he suddenly felt an oppressive weight over his consciousness. He tried to focus on where that weight was coming from, but the room seemed different, almost cavelike. The support struts holding up the walls suddenly seemed more menacing and broken. The boxes he was hiding behind were nearly three times the size that he knew they were, and they seemed to be closing in on him. What prevented him from losing it completely was Yendys' hand grasping his shoulder, bringing him back from the brink of madness. The dark energies that filled the Sith Temple could now be felt by the Jedi very easily. Continuing on into the bowels of the structure, he would need to work harder to overcome the negative Dark side energy to use his Jedi skills. The training that he received would certainly help to counteract any adverse affects, but he had not been expecting the intensity. With the preparations for battle, Trevor had not performed any rituals to fend of Dark Side energies. With Yendys' support, Trevor realized that the energies surrounding him emanated from deeper into the ground. But he was able to figure out that the energies flowed stronger from one of the doorways.

"You alright?"

"Yeah, thanks. For a moment there I thought that you might have been a wampa."

"Funny. What did you get?"

"Not much, except that door there I believe leads down towards our adversary."

"You sure?"

"No, not really, but it feels right."

"Okay. Let's get moving."

The partners gathered themselves, and skulked down the corridor; Yendys on the right hand side while Trevor took the other. The illumination here was marginally better so Trevor decided to disengage his saber, but not strap it to his belt. Yendys' blue saber continued to glow. Trevor constantly adjusted his vision, keeping details clear, but not more than five meters head at one time. The corridor twisted left and right, as if trying to disorient anyone walking in it. Trevor could only see twenty meters ahead at any given time due to the constant twisting and bending of the walls. The temperature continued to rise and the walls progressively darker. They continued to travel for a few minutes until they caught sight of an intersection. They stopped at an intersection, looking both left and right. Trevor extended his vision down each corridor to get a better handle on where his adversary was. The right corridor twisted and turned even more, heading on beyond the range of his vision. The left corridor continued on for another fifty meters to a large double door. Trevor pointed left, feeling that their adversary was still off in that direction. Yendys nodded, moved slightly ahead of him as they crept down the hall. Trevor ignited his lightsaber, giving more light to their surroundings.

They continued on for many minutes, repeatedly checked the corridors ahead for any signs of Talaan. They met with no resistance at all. The light off ofThe walls seemed to absorb the light generated from Yendys' saber. She grabbed his shoulder and pointed to the walls.

"I just realized that the rock wall is obsidian. That's a volcanic rock."

Trevor sniffed, recognizing the traces of sulfur in the air. He snapped his fingers. "Of course; no wonder it's getting warmer at the bottom."

"We know what the air circulation is for. Let's not cut any big power cable, alright? It'll probably get real hot real fast."

Trevor shrugged. "I'll do my best, sweetheart."

"Have I told you how much I hate that word?"

"You might have, but I don't seem to remember you mentioning it lately."

"Consider it mentioned," she continued to stare at his head, unsure if he really saw her or was looking around the chamber. Trevor sensed immediately that he had neared a forbidden line.

"Okay, I'm sorry. Feeling better?"

"A little… blind man…"

"Oh, nice. You want to continue?" They moved on, advancing deeper into the shrine. Moments later, the two Jedi noticed that the corridor was widening out, causing the two to move farther apart. The corridor spilled out into the large cavern, with multiple exits on all sides. Keeping the way back to the surface behind them, they counted six new corridors. On the walls between the corridors, long thin red crystals mounted in small sconces gave light to the room. The sconces were randomly placed all around the room and down the remaining corridors, giving a red quality to the entire room. Trevor looked around the room contemplating the nature of the crystals when Yendys inhaled deeply.

"It's like so radically different, and so similar at the same time… Might even be the same. It might be Ilum."

Trevor suddenly realized that the room looked just like one of the many crystal chambers on the ice planet. "You are right; it does. But these crystals aren't-"

"Those aren't really crystals; they are light sources. They are crystal-shaped. Red instead of blue and green. Creepy. I wonder if they did it on purpose. Probably"

"Well, the Sith did spawn from the early Jedi order."

"Did you have good visions while you on Ilum?"

"Did you?"

"Yeah, that's what I thought. Hmm"

"Put it this way; my vision was the first time I went against a Sith."

Yendys looked at her friend in a strange way. She nodded twice, took a deep breath and pressed on. "So which way do we go?" she demanded.

Trevor could only guess at what her vision was, and figured that if she wanted to talk about it, she would let him know. He had not mentioned the vision to many people before, but realized that giving her the information about his vision may have either scared her even more, or comforted her. He pushed the thoughts out of his mind, and concentrated on the task at hand. He extended his vision down the first corridor only to find that twenty meters down was a durasteel door with a small access panel on the right side. He retracted his vision and repeated the process down the next. This time, however, there was only tunnel for sixty meters. Trevor repeat the same steps four more times, only to find a repeat of the second. He nodded once, and pointed to the left most corridor.

"Time to put your skills to the test, sweetheart."

Yendys stopped and turned on Trevor, anger evident on her face. Her lightsaber extended out on her right side. "Have I ever told you how much I hate that word?"

He stood stock still, realizing that he nearly crossed a line. Trevor's lightsaber was on his right side, and he took a moment to disengage the blade. The two were bathed in red light for two blinks of an eye.

"No, I did not. Would you rather I said that it is time to earn your keep?" Trevor's nose was millimeters from hers, keeping his voice down to a whisper so as not to antagonize her. Knowing in times past, Trevor would have flinched at her sudden outburst, Yendys was surprised to see her 'partner in crime' trying to stare her down. In this simple way, it showed how much the Trevor she knew had grown into a fine Jedi. Yendys winked at him, "Actually, yes, I would."

She turned on her heels and walked to the double doors, beginning her work on the mechanism to open the door. Trevor reactivated his lightsaber, pushing the red lights away. He shook his head, and followed resolutely after her.

The access panel blinked slowly as if measuring time. Yendys put away her lightsaber to work on opening the door. Trevor took the time to investigate the corridor on the other side. He pushed his vision through to find a short entryway leading to a T-intersection. The passage seemed to be higher on one side. The doors whisked open as Yendys bypassed the access panel. Trevor immediately walked through the corridor and waited just on the other side of the door. The feeling of dark side energy was definitely getting stronger. He knew that it would not be much more time until he was completely immersed in it. Yendys put her tools away and ignited her weapon once again. The two stood looked down the opposite hallway, listening for any sound that might mean the approach of guards. The howling of the wind and the echoes of sound off the wall either masked the guards or there was no one around. Trevor and Yendys hugged the wall around the far corner. As Yendys leaned her head out into the corridor, an emergency door slammed shut behind them. Both turned around, lightsabers at the ready, but no one was there. Yendys shrugged her shoulders in apology and turned back to the corridor. The entire floor was tilted, acting line a corkscrew around a bottle. It was easily three meters wide, but the steep grade down gave Yendys some concern. Trevor pointed to the 'down' side of the passageway and Yendys' eyebrows raised once again.

Trevor took a deep breath and was about to step out into the corridor when a sudden memory forced its way to Trevor's consciousness. The air still consisted of a sulfuric smell, however a think, rank, musky smell permeated the stones. The stale air would have normally have been masked by overgrowth and decay of trees on a forested world, but underground, the smell of death and rot took over. Yendys watched Trevor's face suddenly go ghost white.

"Trevor," she whispered. "What is it?"

"We need to move. Now." The wind's howl took on a more predatory sound, and Yendys realized that it wasn't the wind that way howling, but some sort of animal. Trevor concentrated, using a stealth technique he learned many years ago.

"It sounds hungry…"

"It is. Come on." Trevor turned down the hallway, moving at a much faster pace than before. Yendys turned and caught up to him in just a few strides. The two raced down the hill as quietly and quickly as possible. An extending rock from the wall broke loose, careening down the corridor ahead. The howling suddenly got more intense, and claws could be heard scraping and scratching their way towards their prey. Trevor stopped in the hall, turning to face the enemies he knew he'd have to face one more time.

"What are they?"

"Vornskyrrs," he said simply. He quickly shed his cloak and raised his lightsaber in response to the sudden cries of the attacking beasts. Yendys' black jacket glistened in the light of the sabers. Trevor knew that all of his training since his 'incident' on Myrkr made him a more difficult target. He was not sure how Yendys would handle these six legged creatures with a barbed tail. They stood, side by side, as the running claws got closer and closer.

The first pair of vornskyrrs rounded the corner and ran headlong into the awaiting Jedi. Trevor's silver blade smoothly whisked around in front of him in a dual circular pattern, nearly catching the nearest vornskyrr in the head. It ducked and Trevor's blade came within millimeters of catching the front legs. It reared up, trying to avoid the moving light. Trevor saw the beast rearing up, and slashed at the front right leg, severing the tendons in the knee. Trevor could see Yendys' blade also moving in a similar arc as his, but more unrefined and untrained manner. But her strokes all struck home. The second creature ducked under the first barrage and the tail arched down, causing Yendys' coat to catch most of the attack. A ripping sound nearly caused Trevor to turn, but Yendys' counter attack singed the ears causing a minor retreat of the beast.

Trevor's blade continued to arc around in front. The first fiend tried to bite, but was unable to connect with the defending Jedi. Trevor saw an opening in the monster's defenses and immediately pushed his advantage. The leg was not very mobile, causing a creature who attacks with frontal appendages to slow down. The vornskyrr reared up as if to attack. Trevor pressed the advantage by spinning underneath the claws and cutting across the neck, nearly beheading the beast. A second pair of vornskyrrs rounded the corner, seeing one of their packmates falling under the onslaught of their dinner. They were not prepared to have this creature with a bright lights killing their brothers. They attacked the two 'humans', with one falling under Trevor's skilled blade in three strokes. The stroke that killed it was one from neck to hip, killing it within five seconds.

Yendys was having bit of a challenge from her pair. She kept them at bay for a few seconds and pushed back the attacks of the two. The newest beast recognized that its other packmates were dead, so went after the most threatening. The hunter was now becoming the hunter. Trevor saw an opening in the vornskyrr's attack pattern, and swung almost uncaringly. The beast easily avoided it, and attempted to attack while Trevor spun into the attack, slicing the beast across the belly, spilling its innards. Yendys's blade could be hear slicing into the body of the last remaining vornskyrr. As the body finsTrevor looked at her coat with deep concern.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, just surprised. I always heard these things were tougher than that."

Trevor looked at the remains. "These could have been tamed, or even weakened by lack of food. This is not their normal hunting grounds."

Yendys looked to her friend and recognized something akin to fear in his face. She opened her mouth as if to ask the next logical question when he turned his face to her.

"Yes, I have. And it was not an experience I would like to repeat anytime soon. It was less than a year ago that I last experienced these creatures in the flesh, not just in a vision. I would rather not talk about it right now, if you don't mind." Trevor turned in the hallway, first up the slope, then back down again. "We should go back up the hall and verify that they are all gone."

Yendys shook her head. "It could just be a smelly old den, you know."

"True, but I'd rather not leave it to chance at this point. Besides, he knows we're here, why not make him wait?"

They retraced their steps, passing the original entrance way and moving uphill to the vornskyrr's den. The bones of many meals lay disarrayed on the floor, near four different nests. Yendys searched each of the nests for anything use. Trevor stood in the middle of the room, contemplating on his vision and the similarities to his vision. Yendys disturbed his thoughts, calling him over to a pile of bones that were larger than the vermin littered around. Upon closer inspection, Trevor recognized a large Dashade hand amongst the bones. His brow furrowed in thought as he filed away this small insight into the former padawan to Shudo Laan.

"He's making a point to his mercenaries. He runs the show, and no one else," Yendys commented.

Trevor only nodded, trying to complete the puzzle of Viko Talaan as he lived today. And the dark thoughts that invaded his mind did not make him feel any better. He turned abruptly, deciding to face this challenge sooner rather than later. Yendys was a bit surprised at the sudden brooding mood that Trevor seemed to have fallen into. She pushed along the bond, and found concern laced with sadness. She caught up to her friend, and grasped his hand. He turned quickly, and started to pull away. She held tighter and turned him around to face her. No words were spoken, but Trevor's face softened slightly. Yendys' eyes shown brightly as she released his hand.

"See, I told you that was just a smelly old den."

Yendys pulled out a small lightsource, which emitted a small blue beam down the hallway.

"This way, we don't attract too much attention." Yendys commented, more to bring Trevor out of his funk more than anything.

Trevor barely acknowledged the words, instead concentrating on the flows of the Force. They continued down the corridor for another hundred meters, slowly winding down deeper into the ground. They reached a double durasteel door at the base of the corridor. Yendys scurried over to the door to begin manipulating the controls. Trevor stood in the middle, waiting for the doors to open. He realized right away that the darkest part of the underground facility was just on the other side of the door.

"Prepare yourself." Trevor wanted to give Yendys some time to get ready for what was ahead. She just nodded, concentrating on the electronic parts she had in front of her. Trevor just shook his head, still unable to get his head around the fact that Yendys had different skills than before. A small yelp escaped her mouth as the door opened. Trevor concentrated more so than ever before, gather what safe energies he could, calling on the Force to help him overcome the obvious waves of darkness that flowed over him. Trevor bathed himself in the light side of the Force, letting the darkness wash around. He extended the walls he created to include Yendys' fortifications though the bond they shared. She blinked her eyes at him quickly, as if a bright light suddenly went on in a dark room. He reached down, help her to her feet, and walked to a monstrous cavern, extending nearly sixty meters across and fifty in width. Three statues stood in the middle of the room. Each statue was fifteen meters tall, cowled in a black cloak with the face hidden and an arm extended with a lightsaber hilt. Trevor could nothing but stare at the figures in amazement as the source of the darkness seemed to emanate from the middle of the room. He continued to stare and walk across the room. Yendys hurried to catch up, only to stop as the entry door slammed shut behind them.

"I have a bad feeling about this…" Yendys' voice and concern lanced through Trevor's amazement. The sudden closure of the door made her very nervous and he sensed it immediately. He started to reach for his lightsaber when a grinding sound from the middle of the room stopped him. The arms of the three statues were moving slowly toward the ceiling, loose stones causing a cloud of dust to emerge in the cavern. As the points of the sabers neared the top, Yendys continued to look around the room. She noticed a large crystal on the roof of the cavern, larger than anything else she'd seen before. She pointed it out to Trevor, who instinctively realized the crystal was right for use in an extremely high-powered lightsaber.

Instantly, three red lightsaber blades ignited from the hilts wound into the statues. The blades extended up to the crystal and arched out into the cavern against the wall. Trevor had barely time to register the additional crystals in the room when the three blades exponentially expanded, filling the room with red saber blades. They both maneuvered themselves out of the way; however, Trevor landed harder than usual, forcing more air out than he intended. He kept watch on the saber hilts, knowing that these 'arms' were moving by machine. The arms dropped slightly, causing the blades to shift slightly. Trevor expected the blades to move slightly and at one point, might even dissipate. He watched, gauging the speed of the arm and the distance to the next crystal. The blades blinked out of existence for a brief moment and Trevor leapt from his position toward the statues. He had noticed the blades never getting within a half-meter from the statues as well, so he knew he'd have the room. He pushed off, and upon gathering the Force, jumped nearly twenty meters. Unfortunately, he pushed a little too hard, and slammed against the nearest statue, dazing himself slightly.

Yendys had slightly better luck. She had moved out of the way of an intersection of blades towards the statues and didn't have as far to jump to safety. She landed with grace on the base of a statue and looked for Trevor immediately. Trevor extracted his lightsaber from his belt and immediately looked to sever the nearest arm. His statue's arm was right above him and he had a difficult time adjusting to the 'rocky' terrain. The base was wide enough for him to get a foot down to stable himself, and he thrust his saber directly into the elbow joint, causing a shower of sparks to cascade over him. The blade immediately went out, giving both Jedi plenty of room to spread out. Yendys sawed on her arm until the blade went out. Trevor cautiously made his way over to the remaining statue and attempted the same maneuver. A second spark shower and a muffled explosion could be heard on the inside of the statue. All three arms continued their downward trend, lightsabers safely dismantled. They searched for more threats but none showed themselves.

Trevor rubbed his arms and chest where he had slammed against the rocks, jarring his bones. The dull ache slowed his movements enough that he seriously considered stopping for a short time. Yendys' injuries did not seem too bad as she approached the opposite doorway inspecting the control panel. She pulled out her tools and began working on slicing through. Trevor knelt down and began a recovery trance, hoping to push the aches off to the back of his mind. Yendys' voice wafted across the room.

"You know, it'll be fifteen minutes or so before this is done."

Trevor pulsed along their bond. _Take your time. I could use a quick rest._

Yendys responded back. _Figured you took a good lick against that statue._

Trevor's face broke out into a smile. _Noticed you were Ms Nimble back there._

Yendys spoke outloud. "Ok, Mr Jedi. I need to concentrate on this."

Trevor turned his inner voice off, allowing Yendys complete concentration on her task. He could feel the bruises forming on his left shoulder, a reminder of where the Sith were a remarkable enemy and should not be underestimated. Only one other Jedi in the last century had encountered a Sith, and Obi-Wan's metoric rise through the Jedi ranks was on the level of legend. Trevor extrapolated that possibly he was meeting another Sith by the same Master. Did not Shudo have not one but three padawans in his life? Trevor would have been happy with only one padawan in his life, but his current mission floated in front of him like a holographic vegetable in front of a pack animal. A pulse of happiness raced along the telephathic bond, causing Trevor to shake off his daydream and rise to his feet. Yendys stood three strides away from an open door, a smirk lining her face. Trevor put his hand on her shoulder, causing her to jump slightly.

"Good job. Let's see what new tricks this Talaan has for us,"

Trevor admired her work professionally. Having her along on this type of mission certainly saved his energy, and she had grown into a proficient slicer since she had left the Jedi Order. Knowing someone with these skills might not be looked upon as a good thing in the Order, but his feeling on the matter seemed to force him to believe in her honesty and integrity rather than her skills. She finished gathering up her tools and they proceeded the next corridor. They were surprised to find they stood looking down a triangle-shaped corridor, with the walls peaking above the middle of the corridor. Two bulkhead doors stood opposite one another halfway between the ends of the hall. Trevor progressed down the corridor slowly, still expecting to have another surprise jump out at him. Fortunately, nothing here showed any sort of attacks. The companions slowly walked down the hall looking past all the struts and supports for any laser pistols or other weapons pointed in their directions. No vidcams could be seen but Trevor did not believe that no one knew of their presence. _Just doesn't make sense that someone wouldn't know someone is around._

At the intersection connecting the doors, Yendys walked toward the left hand door. She started working on the control pad when Trevor forced his vision into the room. He was greeted with a room half the width of the corridor, but the same length, full of ancient metallic parts. Heads of droids, bales of wire and circuit boards littered the work benches along the sides. He pulled his vision back to a normal point of view.

"Don't bother. Just a room of droid parts. Not that we haven't seen them before, now have we?"

She turned around, giving him a dirty glare. He smiled and turned towards the opposite room. The contents of this room caused him to become stone-faced. Yendys realized immediately that something beyond the next door bothered him, so she strided across to the other door, and tried the panel. The door opened immediately and she stared at the contents.

Filling the long walls of the room were hundred of lightsaber hilts of similar design. A conveyor belt covered the length of the room, with parts on both sides. A sudden realization hit the partners at the same time. Trevor walked to the wall and pulled down a saber and ignited it. A blood-red blade extended out and Trevor remembered the design as being from the lightsaber-wielding droids that were on Ord Mantell and that killed Kymber. He immediately took the saber and disengaged it, extracting the power supplies from the main hilts. The whole operation took less that five seconds and Trevor realized that he had disabled ten lightsabers before he realized what he was doing. Yendys stood with her hands on her hips.

"Do we really have time for this?"

Trevor turned his face to hers. "At no time in the future will these sabers hurt any more Jedi. I will make the time to dsable as many of these as possible."

His harsh words were laced with unintended emotions which Yendys immediately realized was her clue that she had pushed him past an unknown line. She walked next to him and began dissembling the completed lightsabers that had been stored in the room. Fifteen minutes later, the two had disabled nearly all the completed lightsabers. Yendys had pulled out her lightsaber and run through ten hilts at a time, cooking the wiring to disable as many as possible. Trevor grabbed another red saber and followed suit. Soon, the acrid smell of burnt metal and wiring made the room unbearable to breathe in a very short time. He tapped her shoulder, and pointed out of the room. They vacated the room, causing damage to all of the sabers that they could. Trevor felt better about having disabled the ability for those deadly droid assassins. They continued on to the next door, blasting the comrades with sulfur-laced air. Hot air blasted through the opening, causing both to hide their face from the sudden rush. The wind died down shortly thereafter. As they turned their faces to the new hall once again, Trevor exclaimed, "You have got to be kidding me."

Ahead of them the walkway extended nearly a hundred meters. The struts of the durasteel structure were bolted into the top of the room, while below the entire floor was covered by flaming molten lava. A second door could be seen at the far end of the corridor. Trevor took a moment to look at the entire room and realize immediately the obvious.

"This is a definite trap."

"Really? What was your first clue?" jibbed Yendys.

"Look, those struts could easily have explosives in them. Once they blow, it is immediately into the drink. Period. I don't have the benefit of having fireproof boots, do you?"

"Well, what do you suggest?"

Trevor took a moment to inventory his belongings, which were meager at best. Fortunately, he found a canister of liquid cable, the same type that he had used on Metallos to slow down a trio of battle droids. He reached back on his belt and grabbed a small explosive wall mount. He placed the cable dispenser on the wall mount, and plunged it into the wall above and to the left of the door. He then placed a small ascension device onto the front end and depressed the ignition switch, causing the ascension device to eject the cable across the entire hallway. Trevor followed the cable across the cable and was rewarded with an resounding _thud_ on the far end. The ascension arm had lodged above the door on the far side.

"You know, that was just luck."

Trevor smiled. "I don't believe in luck."

He reached up, grasping the cable for support. He walked across the walkway whilek keeping his left hand on the wire. Yendys placed a set of gloves on her hands, not wanting to cut them on the wire. As they reached ten meters into the room, a loud _clang_ could be heard behind them. The door they had just left had closed and was in the process of sliding flush against the wall. Yendys turned back towards Trevor, a panicked look on her face. Trevor sent a calming pulse to her through their bond, which was received almost in shock. She looked at him in marvelous disbelief.

"Calm, Yendys. Keep your wits about you. We'll-"

The sound of hydraulic pumps could be heard through the walls. Trevor whipped around his point of view and noticed that the far end of the walkway had dipped down into the lava. Immediately he jumped up, swinging his legs over the wire so that his head faced the far door. He turned his vision back to Yendys to see what she was doing, but she had already hoisted herself up on the wire in the opposite direction. As they perched on the wire for a moment, small dust clouds could be seen falling from the joints of the struts as they continued to drop the path into the deadly lava.

Not wanting to be on the wire longer than he had to, he pulled himself along the wire to the far end. As slow as he seemed to move, the end was reached in no time. _He must be getting desperate to start dropping the traps early. Getting a little impatient Viko?_ Trevor thought to himself.

He reached the end and realized that the door on this end was just as flush as the one opposite. Wondering how in the Force he was going to get by this, an exasperated voice slammed into him.

"Use that can opener of yours!"

He grasped his lightsaber, exasperated at his lack of imagination. He reached back onto his belt, grasped and ignited his lightsaber and cut a hole in the door large enough to allow both of them through without burning themselves on the edges. He lay dangling upside down for nearly ten minutes while making sure that the cut of the door was wide enough. As he reached the top of the door, the insert slid out, bottom first, and caromed off the stairs on the other side. A loud _TWANG_ could be heard echoing off the walls of the staircase.

"Well, I guess the party crashers are here."

They swung off the cable, landing on the top stair. Looking back, Trevor wondered how they would get back over if necessary. Shaking off the daydreams he looked down to the bottom of the staircase. As he ventured down, he noticed that the stairs were flanked by two streams of lava, as if the previous hall was a pool for this staircase. He knew that the door had fallen at least fifty steps. Suddenly an alarm went off in the back of his head, his brain finally registering a second sound when the door hit bottom. He turned his vision to the stairs and he saw three big circular disks protruding out of the middle. Something was familiar about the disks, and he paused, causing Yendys to bump into him. She tapped his shoulder, as if to get his attention. Instead he just pointed to the door.

"Those disks in the door, those are lamrocs. Very ancient weapons."

In the heyday of the Sith - Jedi war, alchemically treated weapons were developed as way to counteract blasters and lightsabers. Shields and armor was made of this for additional protection from any Jedi / Sith lightsabers. Trevor related this small bit of history to continue reviewing the current agenda. He calcutated that these circular blades, measuring nearly a meter across, would not be the gauntlet-mounted type known during the Sith War. Rather these would be a mechanical trap mounted in a wall that would sense movement or body heat, maybe even a Force user. Trevor continued to figure on the trajectory of the blades, when he realized that one of the blades was actually above the level of the door. He certainly did not want to take that chance. He motioned Yendys to sit down on the stair.

He closed his eyes, keeping Yendys in the dark as to what he had planned. Trevor reached out with the Force, knowing that he was risking Dark Side backlash, and lifted the door. Suddenly the door was pelleted with more blades, some bouncing off, some embedding themselves deep within the door. He pushed the door forward, keeping the barrage of blades continuously hammering at the bulkhead. Yendys, upon hearing the blades connecting with the door, looked around and realized that the steps they were sitting upon were made of stone. Pieces of rock and stair littered the entire way. She reached back, grabbing a couple of larger rocks and started throwing them down the stairs. The rock's movement was picked up by whatever sensor was monitoring the halls. A new barrage of blades sliced into the stairs below, set permanently into the stone. Trevor dropped the door, realizing that spending energy was pointless with an surprisingly adequate supply of rocks nearby. For the next fifteen minutes, the two continued to fire rocks, pebbles, and larger stones, allowing the supply of blades to run dry. A constant click-click-click could be heard on the other side, indicating that the supply of blades and run dry.

The two friends turned to one another, realizing how close to death they had really come. They finished climbing down the stairs to get their first view of the blade trap. Fifteen meters down the hall, above the door were three large slits, each with a small sensor-cam under. The blades littered the room, as well as the large door that once blocked the top of the staircase. Yendys turned to her comrade in arms.

"So, Master Jedi. What next?"

Trevor looked at the far door, feeling just a bit fatigued.

"Let's take some time and rest. We shouldn't just walk into a room not fully prepared, and right now, I am sure you need the rest as much as I do."

"No argument here. How long?"

"Give me thirty minutes. I should be feeling better by then."

Trevor walked back to the stairs, and going up to ten steps, lay down on the step and immediately fell asleep. Yendys sat with her back to the Jedi, instinctively knowing that he would not cause her to jump needlessly. Thirty minutes later they switched places, Yendys falling asleep on her step, while Trevor stepped over her to kneel in the middle of the hall, facing the door. He reviewed what he knew and prepared himself for what he would consider the battle of a lifetime. Two padawans of the same Jedi Master had, as far as Trevor knew, never battled in this way before, and he hoped, never again.

One hour later, Yendys felt a slight pulse along the bond, forcing her from dreamless sleep to tense consciousness in moments. Trevor continued to kneel in the middle of the hall. Yendys rubbed the little sleep from her eyes and walked down to the landing.

"You let me sleep longer, didn't you."

"Yes, you look like you needed it."

She wanted to berate him for the unnecessary kindness, but she knew that he had more important things on his mind, and this small act was something that he had always done in the past. If he could keep his vision, and his protection, on her at all times, he'd do it in a heartbeat, whatever the cost. She leaned down, kissed his cheek, and motioned towards the door.

He stood up, a sudden chilling calm enveloping him. His feelings for Yendys, strong though they were, were placed in a locked part of his mind. His shoulders, once tight with anticipation, dropped to a relaxed position. All the grief he had experienced within the last day, pushed away by deep determination to finish what he started nearly a year ago.

They walked up to the doors, and suddenly Trevor realized that there were seven different sensors around the door, with no panel to open it. Trevor began to push his vision through the doors when they slid open on their own, revealing a catwalk extending out over a lava lake, spill out of openings in the wall on either side. A piling of volcanic rocks in the middle of the lake formed an island with a massive ceiling above. Upon the central island was a large array of machinery, cables, computer banks, monitors and sensors. The catwalk that led over to the island was nearly fifty meters long and supported above and below by durasteel beams. Massive turbines blew in fresh air flowing through, nearly blowing them off of their feet. The largest concentration of machinery was directly in the middle with more hanging from the top of the ceiling.

They entered the catwalk, sabers in their hands. The darkness that Trevor felt at the entrance was extremely pronounced here. The column of light that he had surrounded himself with earlier seemed to fade slightly under the constant weight of it. Their feet striking the floor echoed over the burbling of the lava below. Movement at the top of the middle pinnicle attracted Trevor's vision. A large chair was turning around, and with it, horns protruding forward above a red face of pure malice. Dark shadows surrounded the large figure as it rose out of the chair. Armor plating on the shoulders and forearms glistened in the limited light, and the voice that traveled down to the pair chilled their blood.

"So. the esteemed Shudo Laan's padawan has come to challenge me." The malice and contempt for the Jedi Order was evident in the oily voice of the massive Togruda. Viko Talaan's visage was bathed in meager lighting and Trevor could finally see the realization of the face in his dream on Ilum. While he expected the Sith's face to be twisted, Viko's was as twisted as Master Yoda's gimer stick, and much more deadly. The evil of Talaan's voice was matched only by the intensity of his gleaming eyes. Talaan's flowing cape seemed to make his presence even larger, as if trying to display how powerful he was. The face of evil turned to Yendys.

"And he's brought a friend. Please, come in. My door is always open, especially to ...family." Talaan paused slightly, contempt at the final word evident as it hissed out of his mouth.

Trevor continued forward a few paces, keeping his breathing and heartbeat at regular intervals. His hand had reflexively pulled his lightsaber off his belt, ready for anything that the former Jedi would do. Trevor expected this kind of talk, based on the information he knew of Viko. He allowed Talaan to believe that he was in control, and in some respects he was, but Trevor would not allow his emotions out to influence his opponent's actions, at least not yet. No amount of intimidation would affect Trevor, knowing that in such a short time he had gained much experience to deal with this monstrosity.

Trevor was approximately ten meters away from the stairs when Talaan reached the platform. The catwalk, being only five meters wide, made for a very interesting battle ground, and Trevor expected to be put to the test early and often.

"Shall we dispense with any further pleasantries?"

Trevor decided to put his plan into effect. "Why," he asked, "why do all this?" Talaan dropped his cape, ignited a red lightsaber and placed it at his side, ready for combat. A second saber ignition signaled that Yendys had readied herself for the impending action. Trevor mirrored Viko's actions, placing his blade parallel with the floor on his right side.

"Because the Jedi Order, and the Council, is stagnating. They are smothering under their own weight. They refuse to recognize greatness when it is in their very presence. And today, as they have before, will learn!"

"And you think you can teach the entire Jedi Order a lesson?" Trevor's incredulous tone seemed to irritate Talaan, as expected. Trevor's plan was to enduce Talaan into making rash moves, and act completely unexpectedly.

"I'll start by adding two more bodies to the pile," he purred.

"Greatness, Viko, is synonymous with respect. It is earned. We shall see if you can add more to the pile, or if you will be the last casualty of the mess you have caused." Trevor baited, offending Talaan's arrogance.

Viko's eyes widened at the sudden change in conversation. "Indeed we shall. Indeed we shall." Suddenly, he rushed forward, raising his blade as if to strike down on the Jedi. Trevor sent a quick pulse to Yendys, tell her to keep still. He took the entire brunt of the attack on his blade, and nearly strained against the attack. He parried one of the attacks back, but had to duck out of the way twice in order to keep his feet about him. In allowing Viko to have first shot, he realized that an open could be exploited. The armor on his arms seemed to allow him nearly complete movement upwards, but the cross swings gave Viko a hard time. Trevor ducked under the third attack, sweeping up and across Talaan's body. Talaan, slightly surprised by the sudden counter-attack, took an inadvertent step backward, allowing a small opening in his armor to be sliced across by Trevor's blade. Talaan lifted his head, a deafening howl drowning out the background noise of the lava lake. Trevor could feel some sort of armored breastplate near Talaan's chest area. Knowing the types of armor that could repel a lightsaber blade made the encounter that much more deadly, as Talaan might be able to withstand even more damage than any of Trevor's other opponents. Yendys, realizing that Talaan was distracted raced across the platform, much to Trevor's dismay. Talaan, after blocking Yendys' attacks, howled in pain. The Jedi Weapons Master suddenly realized all the dark side energies swirling around the room were coalescing around Talaan. Viko's frame seemed to grow slightly, as if it were collecting all the energies of the room to heal himself or improve upon some sort of defensive technique. Pressure against his defenses seemed to grow expontentially. _Whatever he is doing, it's gonna mean a worse battle than before,_ Trevor thought.

Talaan reacted by renewing his attack on Trevor. The Weapons Master deflected two swipes but realized that his energies were draining him rapidly. There was no finesse to the attacks now, just pure power which Trevor could barely defend against. He could feel all of his reserve energies ebbing away rapidly. He counter attacked with a set of moves that he had learned early on in his training, but Talaan seemed to expect this attack, being able to block all but one in a four-move attack fashioned by Shudo. _Obviously he knows about this._

Yendys, seeing her friend in dire straights, attacked with a fury that surprised Trevor. Her style was one that confused Talaan slightly, causing him to fall back slightly. Talaan's energy reserves were being depleted just as rapidly as Trevor's but he did not want his enemies to know this. After blocking Yendys' attacks, he pushed her back, causing her to fall onto the floor. He turned back to his former Master's padawan. Reaching into the energies that surrounded him, he reached his free hand out and blue lightning shot out of the fingertips. Talaan knew that he had his enemy defeated when Trevor's eyes widened slightly.

Trevor recognized the motion of the lightning and was surprised that Talaan had figured out how to manipulate lightning. He had learned about it early on in his training, and his Master had said the Sith were very proficient at this type of attack. One of the best ways to counter it was to absorb the energies flowing towards you. Trevor's only reaction was what saved his life.

As the lightning extended, Trevor reached out his free hand, reaching into the fire to gather the energies to himself. He reached back into the Force-barrier he had created for himself earlier and allowed that energy to help absorb the lightning into his body. The result was a small ball of blue energy centimeters from his outstretched hand. Trevor closed his hand, accepting the energies into his body. He suddenly felt very refreshed, and re-energized by the lightning. He twisted his head around, cracking the vertebra in his neck. The smirk that lit up Trevor's face infuriated Talaan even more. Trevor recognized his advantage and pressed it forward. Trevor swung again in an seeming erratic fashion, but very effective at getting by Talaan's defenses. Talaan's breathing came more and more erratic as Trevor pressed the attack. Yendys came in from the other side, fighting her way though his defenses, trying to assist Trevor as best she could. As she twisted her way through Talaan's defenses, Trevor concentrated on his battle training and tried to augment his techniques even further. Talaan, feeling that his advantage was waning away, reach out with the Force to grasp Trevor's neck, hoping to strangle the pup that was proving more difficult than he anticipated. Trevor felt his windpipe start to shrink and his breath become forced. He willed himself to fight off the attack, and felt his airways open up again. Shaking off the remnants, Trevor realized that Talaan was bleeding from small cuts and scrapes. Trying to estimate how much blood he had lost, Trevor figured that Talaan should have been on the ground by now. However, Trevor also supposed that Talaan was using the Force to augment his health.

Yendys flew in from the side, trying to force Talaan to the ground. He shrugged off her attempts and reach out, lightning lancing out at her. She tried to bring her blade to bear, but was unable to react in time. She spun around in the air twice, landing on her knees at the edge of the catwalk. Smoke lifted from the singed areas of her jacket. Talaan advanced, intending to take out one of the pesky intruders.

Trevor felt his blood temperature rise. Rushing forward he brought forth a renewed sense of urgency, and pushed Viko to the edge of the catwalk. Slicing past Talaan's defenses took all of Trevor's remaining energies. Talaan blocked all of the chest high attacks, but Trevor adjusted his final swipe to knee level, catching the taller foe off-guard. The red lightsaber fell to the floor, automatically disengaged. Viko's face showed complete surprise as the fire in his eyes failed, and the body slid off the remaining stumps of legs, tumbling over the catwalk towards the fiery lake below. A scream of terror escaped Viko's throat. Trevor, ever the conscious Jedi, reached out with his remaining strength, attempting to catch the fallen foe and bring him into custody for all his crimes. Alas, the dark side energies and a storm of rage had enveloped Talaan's body resisted Trevor's attempts, and Viko Talaan tumbled into his fiery grave, never to be seen or heard from again.

Yendys watched as Trevor sank to his knees, fatigue lining his face. She exhaled deeply, catching Trevor's attention. Her face was covered in soot and ash, her coat's once shiny gloss had faded into burn marks. Trevor gingerly stood and walked over.

"Are you okay?" He reached over, grasping her shoulder gently. She softened slightly, then brushed him off.

"I'm fine." She stared over the edge of the catwalk at the pool of lava for a moment more. "Shall we get back out there and find out what is happening?"

Trevor began to respond, when a loud noise interrupted him. He turned towards the pillars of computer banks, mimicking the lava column form. A synthetic crystalline ring structure ringing the center column, with many ornate lightsabers adorning the outside. The ring began to spin, slowly at first then picking up speed. The two survivors, realizing immediately that a final trap had be sprung, immediately raced for the open door they had entered not fifteen minutes earlier. Trevor moved his vision ahead and looked back, as if a camera looking at a scene in a vidmovie. The lightsabers had been activated at a certain speed, and were turning up, cutting the crystalline ring nearly in half. The explosion of the crystal structure caused a compression wave that knocked Trevor and Yendys onto the landing of the floor. Trevor looked back and adjusted his vision, seeing the lava lake rising up rather quicker than he expected.

Trevor and Yendys both climbed the stairs rather quickly, quicker than they even expected. Trevor reached up, grabbed the cable they had ascended earlier. His hands slipped and his body started to fall into the lava. He squeezed his legs together to catch himself. He swung back up, and pulled himself across the chasm. Yendys followed him closely. As they swung down to the other side, both noticed that the door was open on this side. But they also noticed that on the opposite side the lava was breeching the stairs, flowing into the hall. Turning they continued backtracking, cutting through the doors that had locked behind them. Yendys and Trevor worked as a team to cut through the metallic doors. As they reached the rougher tunnels, they could hear the roar of the lava as it burned the bodies of the vornskyrrs. Yendys yelled back as they proceeded to race along the corridors.

"Do you happen to remember the doors at the main entrance?"

Trevor nodded. "Yes, I remember the laser shield. Let's just hope that we can try to contact E5 before too long. Being down this low isn't real good for communications."

"Yes, but the shield must have been on both sides. They aren't coming in to get us." Panic started to creep into her voice.

Trevor thought quickly. "The air vents! We can get out that way! It leads out and it is our best hope."

Yendys nodded, "That'll work." And they continued to race on, both silent in their concentration to escape the death trap following them. They entered the main repulsor lift room, smoke billowing around them. Trevor thought that the smoke was from the lava behind them. What greeted them was something different.

The repulsor lifts were lying on the ground, lift mechanisms in a garbled mess. The metal was twisted around showing evidence of explosives under the lifts themselves. Trevor and Yendys suddenly felt as if their life-force was drained away. Their only chance of escape gone up in smoke.

A sudden twittering caught their attention from above. E5's metallic body broke through the haze of the room, exiting the far corridor. Elation greeting Trevor as a big smile lit up his face.

"E5! How in the Force did you get down here?" A series of beeps and whistles flowed forth, but Trevor quickly interrupted.

"Lead us out, NOW!" E5 stopped his chattering, twisted around and extended two small engines. Blue flames shot out, lifting the astromech droid up and out of the mine shaft. A small rear compartment opened, and a cable dropped down with a small metal base on the end. Trevor grabbed the base, reached around Yendys' waist as the cable went taut, lifting the pair off the ground. Yendys reached with her free hand up to the other side of the base, steadying the weight. However, Trevor could hear the strain on E5's motors as the pair certainly seemed to be straining E5's capacity. Trevor concentrated on lifting his body up enough to reduce the drag on E5. Yendys watched Trevor's breathing slow down, and realized he was trying to lift himself up. She closed her eyes, concentrating on her weight as well. E5 suddenly felt much lighter and soared to the top of the chamber. He reached level ground and immediately began to race for the door. Trevor and Yendys climbed out of the mine shaft and hurried after E5. There was no need to wonder about the door as E5 had somehow managed to deactivate the laser shields and open the door to the outside. The two humanoids raced towards the opening dodging dust and rock falling from the ceiling. A incessant twittering eminating from his waist notified Trevor that his comlink was going off. He ignored it for the time being, alternating between calling back to Yendys and E5 to hasten or to concentrate on putting one foot in front of the other. The freighter stood where they had left it, rear door open. The engine pre-flight seemed complete as steam escaped from the engines. Trevor raced to the pilot's seat, while Yendys jumped into the co-pilot seat moments later. E5 rolled up the ramp as Trevor fired up the repulsor engines to give them a head start. A plume of dust and smoke caught Trevor's attention as the dome of the Sith Shrine blew upwards in a mushroom cloud. A trail of smoke diverted from the main cloud as a large turbine flew off elsewhere on the planet. A large fire was reflected in the base of the clouds. The Sith Shrine was disintegrating right before him. E5 entered the pilot's bridge, screeching at the other droids, who immediately seemed to into overdrive to get the ship airborne. The comlink continued to nag at him, so he answered it rather curtly while pushing the repulsor engines to full to give the ship a head start in their escape.

"What?"  
"Have you both made it out?"

He immediately recognized relief in his Master's voice. "Yes, we are trying to get this bucket of bolts off the ground right now."

"I am getting some bad energy readings. Get away from there."

"We're on it!" Trevor punched close the comlink while impatiently trying to avoid airborne debris that might cause them to crash. Yendys reached out to grab the stick, but stopped centimeters short. She did not want Trevor to lose his concentration, but she also wanted to help. She closed her eyes, and listened to Trevor's mind over the link, trying to anticipate where he would need her help next. Her hands flew over the control panel augmenting his piloting skills. Trevor avoided all the major particles as he increased the distance between himself and the ground. Yendys continued to assist in the avoidance of any more debris and the freighter eventually broke from the atmosphere and into space.

Trevor worked the controls and immediately contacted the _Crystal Phoenix_ once again, now that that they were safely in the air. The crew could see, through vision, eyes and sensors, that the Jedi convoy was orbiting the planet, waiting for their wayward cousin. Some of the starfighter wings seemed smaller than before, and even some of the laboring starships looked to not be able to make the trip. Trevor maneuvered under the _Crystal Phoenix_ and came up next to it, cockpits parallel to one another.

"Master, is there another place we can meet, other than here?"

"Yes, let's head back to Ithor, coordinates are already into the computer."

"Good. Meet you there."

The nav-lights blinked once in response, the universal sign for "break off and thanks". Trevor pulled gently away from the _Phoenix_ to allow for the navicomputer to complete the calculations for the jump to hyperspace. Yendys held her right hand up, following the countdown to the jump to hyperspace. During the countdown, Trevor noted the Jedi convoy jumping to hyperspace ahead of him. He turned his face towards the stars, glad to have this mission over, but uncertain about his future. Yendys finished the countdown, pushed the hyperdrive controls to full, and the viewscreen streaked with starlight, beginning the jump to hyperspace. The freighter's engines flashed once and disappeared into hyperspace, leaving behind a once impressive Sith shrine in ruins below. 


	15. Epilogue

EPILOGUE

The flight to Ithor was relatively peaceful. Trevor got up from the chair as soon as the hyperspace jump was completed and started to leave the bridge, headed towards the small common area in back. Yendis quickly unbuckled herself from the co-pilot's chair, and jumped into the pilot's seat, continuing to keep busy with the ship's status. Trevor turned at the doorway, noticing that she continued to pilot the ship, even though E5 and the rest of the droids could certainly handle it. He walked back to her and placed his hand on her shoulder.

"You know, E5 could handle this."

"I need to focus on something different. You need to rest." She turned her face towards him, noticing the dark circles under his eyes.

"Yendis…"

"Go rest."

"Take a break."

"You got hurt worse than I did."

Trevor's ire started to push through his mental blocks. "Yendis,--"

Her eyes burned a hole through the rest of his defenses. "It's not gonna happen. Go rest." Trevor kept his head facing her, trying to 'stare' her down. A memory from his youth about the last time he argued with Yendis showed the same tick forming in her jaws. The muscles tensed, the eyelids flared back, and Trevor realized that he was not going to win the fight. He retreated from his position, with a bit of sly wit.

"Yes, Mother…"

"You'd better believe it…" She retorted, easing her clenched muscles. She knew he'd taken a beating, no matter what he would say. The strength of Viko took a toll on her, but certainly not as much as him. All the signs of fatigue were there and some people needed to be forced to recognize that fact. In fact, Trevor recalled that it would be easier to break a parasteel frame with his face than go against her when she was like this. He looked around the bridge and noticed an empty seat in the back. He moved to it, reclined the seat and began to perform some Jedi resting meditation. Yendis watched him, knowing that he was doing it just to get some victory. She allowed him to sit there, and the two began their recovery for the next five hours, in silence and meditation.

Trevor broke his meditative state just as Yendis guided the ship down professionally in the middle of the parked Jedi cruisers. E5 whistled and Yendis nodded, getting up from her chair. She glanced at Trevor, winked and moved past him to the rear exit. Trevor followed her out, a small smile on his face.

They exited the freighter just as a platoon of engineers approached. The head engineer nodded to Trevor, who he recognized as the technician from Coruscant who had done so much work on his Whitecloak over the last year. He nodded back, and approached the Crystal Phoenix, whose passengers were also disembarking. A tall hooded figure lead a floating platform with a body bag was just exiting the _Crystal Phoenix._ Trevor hurried over as quickly as he dared. His spare cape flowed out as he walked, and passers-by moved quickly out of his path, the brooding face enough to convince them that they did not want to be run over. Shudo's presense seemed to be muted, but what caused Trevor to stop and drop to his knees was the purple-blue coloring on Shudo's face, a sign of sadness. Trevor slowed down as he neared the now still Shudo Laan. The unanswered question still on his lips, Shudo shook his head in response, confirming what Trevor already knew: Kymber Thomree is now one with the Force. Yendis followed, barely noticing the crowd's reaction, feeling the deepening hole of sadness as they approached the body of Kymber Thomree. A small figure walked out last, the veil of Zao Chun covering her features. Large eyes and green skins showed under her hood, looking dazed and confused. She stood behind Shudo, expecting him to lead her, but not realizing what she should be doing. Trevor concentrate on keeping his voice low and steady.

"Master Shudo, I respectfully request to be allowed to… prepare the Rites of the Fallen."

"I believe that there are facilities here for that, on the surface."

Trevor's mind started to catalog what he wanted for her final Rites when he heard, in his mind, Yendis already getting on the com to the Ithorian authorities permission to perform those rites. He heard snippets of the conversation.

"…Jedi?…Thank you…Understood…"

Trevor realized that he had compartmentalized his feelings, but had inadvertently brought Yendis inside of those mental barriers, so she knew exactly what he needed and responded appropriately. Trevor pushed an image of what he wanted his 'big sister's' final arrangements and the funeral pyre to look like. Yendis pushed back a positive response, giving Trevor a chance to finish his conversation with Shudo. Trevor turned his vision, seeing Zao Chun's cowl covering her face, walked over to her. Her eyes registered astonishment and surprise at his approach.

"Padawan Zao, don't venture too far."

"Trust me, I won't," she replied, a soft voice emanating forth from the cowl. Trevor bowed slightly, and she responded. She headed back to the ship, overwhelmed by the loss of her master. Trevor watched her go, a feeling his soul warming him from his shoulders to his feet. He heard Shudo's footsteps coming up behind him.

"I need to gather a few things," and headed also back into the ship.

Trevor shook off his thoughts, and noticed Yendis wandering around the landing bay. She seemed to be having an in-depth discussion with a few of the port's personnel. He sidled over near to hear that the conversations were about the arrangements for Kymber and the rest. She negotiated, cajoled, bullied, sweet-talked, and flirted with anyone and everyone she could to get what she wanted. The Ithorian authorities did not back down from their position, but understood that lives were lost and that the Jedi did not want to disrespect their customs. Ithorians worship trees so much that no living being was allowed onto the planet's surface, without first going through particular rights. Yendis was able to talk them into a different herd-ship which would work perfectly for Trevor's vision. Knowing that she never experienced a 'family' such as this, it was her way of thanking Kymber, Shudo and Trevor for making her feeling like an extended member of that little group. She turned back once, nodded to him. He responded back in kind and headed to the communications center.

The only call he made was to the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. The responder was none other than Mace Windu himself.

"Master, I respectfully request the Council's presence here on Ithor."

"We have received indications that there were casualties."

"Yes."

"Jedi?"

"Yes."

"We will be there."

Trevor signed off, thanking Windu for his prompt response. Knowing that the Council would attend the funeral made things seem more correct for the final good-byes for Kymber.

Kymber lay in repose on a stone funeral pyre. Her robes had been changed so that the burn mark would not mar the proceedings. The evening sun set upon the gathered Jedi for the final goodbyes. The Rites were performed by Trevor, with a eulogy by Masters Shudo Laan and Yaddle. Trevor never heard what Shudo and Yaddle said. He was too busy trying to keep his emotions in check. A ringing in his ear hounded him past the lighting of the funeral pyre and even into a small gathering Trevor organized as a way to finish the healing process and talk about Kymber in a way that would not hurt. Anecdotes, serious stories and other interesting tidbits about Kymber and her life as a Jedi came out. Those that had participated in the Battle of Ssureth stopped by, each enjoying the company of their fellow Jedi. Trevor stood off to the side for most of the night, just watching the crowd and allowing the life of the party feed his soul, and close down the grieving process.

Shudo noticed that Trevor had moved off to the side, and walked over, a plate of rich Corellian food on each hand. He offered one to Trevor, who took it politely and ate some of Kymber's favorites. During the two days between the second landing on the spaceport and the funeral arrangements, Trevor had found out that Kymber was a Corellian. So he ordered large amounts of rich Corellian foods and even a couple of bottles of Correlian red. A toast was made and the conversations turned to other news, stories of the battle, and other trivial topics. Trevor turned to his master, who was a blue-green color, calm, but still sad.

"Master, I have three questions for you." Trevor began, scanning the crowd. He paused, watching Windu and Zao talking to one another.

Shudo sensed the question, but allowed Trevor to complete his thoughts.

"What is going to happen to Zao, now that Kymber has passed?"

"Zao Chun will be assigned a new master, to continue her training as a padawan. All that remains is to determine a suitable master for her. I have contemplated it, but I don't know if I am ready at this exact moment with all that has happened."

Trevor pressed. "If the Council agrees to it, I would be willing to take her as my padawan, out of respect for Kymber."

Shudo's coloring added a slight tinge of yellow. "They have already agreed with what I have recommended."

"Due to the fact that Kymber was like a sister, out of respect to her memory. I would like to begin the process, if they agree."

"They will agree."

Trevor breathed a sigh of relief. He was not sure if he was truly ready, but when he heard that the Council already agreed to having Trevor as her Master, the feeling he had days earlier swept across his body, like a big hug. He smiled slightly, yet needed to continue on.

"Second: I would like to have Yendis tested and be allowed into one of the Corps." Those Jedi that failed the Trials were sent to one of a myriad of other portions of the Jedi Order. Viko had been assigned to the ExploriCorp, but Trevor wasn't sure if this would work. "She needs to have some direction, some path in her life."

Shudo's response was measured and stern. "If she requests it herself, it would be duly considered."

Trevor nodded his head. He was figuring on a much bigger argument, but her actions and her survival against Viko must have changed his mind somewhat. He took his leave of Master Shudo, and went to find Yendis. She stood on a balcony, looking out over the evening sky and the trees of the herd-ship.

"So, are you a Jedi Master now?"

"Not quite yet, but soon." Trevor's smile eased the tension in her face.

"Seems right." The compliment was not wasted.

"What are you plans?" he inquired. She turned around, leaned back against the railing, and folded her hands in front of her. Her long wavy hair spilled down her back as she shook her head.

"No." She had figured he would pull some fool stunt like this and try pulling her back into the Order, but not after this much time. Too many bridges had been burned, and too many prejudices had been learned to 'unlearn' them now.

Trevor's heart broke slightly at the simple word. He continued on.

"They'd consider it."

"I have… considered it. No." Her final word asking for argument, but Trevor did not push. It was something that he knew, from rumblings many years ago, that Yendis wanted to do things her own way, and she was free from the confines of the Order. _Well, more power to her._

She walked over to him, placing her finger into his chest. "But I guarantee you I'll be in touch." A playful smile softened her features.

"You better." He chided.

"Don't worry about it. I plan on getting you into plenty more trouble."

"Same trouble as…before?" Trevor's eyebrows shot up, wondering what she was referring to.

"On our road trip?" She shrugged her shoulders. "We'll see."

"Keep in touch, trouble."

Yendis' sly grin widened to a bright smile.

"Count on it."

"When are you leaving?" Trevor inquired, turning his face to the stars.

"Probably when everyone else does. I'll stick around for at least that long. I'm going to try and pick up one of those beds."

"Oh, didn't I tell you? You have a room reserved." He handed her a keycard to the room she had checked out of a few days ago.

Her eyebrows raised up in surprise. "Nice, very stylish of you."

"You can be there for up to two weeks, as a little vacation for your help."

"I may do just that." She looked at him conspiratorially. "I hope that you are taking one too."

"Look at the names…"

A confused look sprang to her face, as she pulled the card back out again. Listed on it were Trevor Gul'dan and Yendis Arctell. She lifted her head back and laughed loudly.

"I don't know if I want to get you into that much trouble, a respectful Jedi Master and all," she purred.

Trevor never responded, turning around and leaving her perplexed at the suddenly roguish streak invading her friend's mind.

Yoda, Windu and the rest of the Council stood in a large mediation room, with Trevor standing in front of them. He stood standing only a moment before he asking for some time off. He was not in balance, he claimed, and he wanted to be sure he could deal with all that had happened. Yoda stared at the young man, and nodded once.

"Reward you well this does. Time to reflect and mediate it gives you. Use it wisely."

Trevor bowed. He then asked his second question.

"I request to take my leave effective immediately."

"For how long?" Windu inquired.

"No more than seven days, not including travel time"

Windu's right eyebrow raised slightly. "And after that?"

"I would request that my name be considered to take Zao Chun as my padawan learner with my continued training in my current path, If Viko Talaan was able to amass this much power, others of my training will be needed in the future."

"Master Shudo was very suggestive in this course of action. We have agreed that it would be for the best for you take up the position of Zao Chun's Master. Would you like to inform her yourself?"

Trevor thought a moment, and responded, "Yes, I would."

Windu nodded. "We will expect your full report immediately upon your return to Coruscant on the events at Ssureth."  
"Thank you. May the Force be with you."

Trevor stopped by the _Crystal Phoenix_ to ask Shudo to prepare his quarters for a new padawan and to watch over Zao during his vacation. Shudo nodded and wished him well on his vacation. The initial debriefing took approximately thirty minutes for everyone, including yendis. The next day, the entire Jedi convoy minus a large freighter took off for Coruscant. Trevor and Yendis spent the next week to act as tourists. She showed him the nightlife and they spent many hours in the gardens, talking of their history and their futures. They did not know what was in store, but the seven days passed quickly. E5 and the other droids had finished the repairs on the freighter and had it fully ready to return to Coruscant. Yendis did not see him off, as she checked out her own ship at the same time. Neither one said goodbye, as that would be too final. They expected to keep communicating, keeping tabs on one another. The flight back to Coruscant was actually rather busy. Trevor created a full report for the Council on the trip back and made up for his lack of discipline during his vacation by going through his advance mantras for hours at a time. By the time he landed on Coruscant, he had changed clothes yet again, clean, refreshed and ready to give his padawan the good news.

Trevor submitted the report immediately upon his arrival, and the Council discussed the points of the expedition with him for nearly two hours. Trevor stood stock still, answered the questions completely and held only a small amount of trivial information back. Yoda dismissed him and Trevor bowed to the council, now officially a Jedi Master. He inquired to the Jedi Communications Control to the location of Zao Chun. He took the turbolift down to the upper levels of the Jedi Archives to get a better picture of his new charge.

Zao sat with fifteen datapads surrounding her, reading as much as she could on different subjects including the Sith wars and Jedi battles. He stood against the back wall of an observation deck, masking himself in the Force so that she would not recognize him. She was so intent on her studies that when he did send a telepathic message, she first looked around, then realizing that his instructions were "look up", sheepishly turned her veiled face towards Trevor. The large eyes seemed less intense as they turned towards him. She waved to him, gathered up her datapads and walked up the stairs to sit down opposite him.

Trevor watched her walk, trying to get a good read on her. She welcomed him back, and they made small talk for a few moments before the first awkward silence invaded their space. He broke the silence by a very simple question.

"What are your plans within the Jedi Order?"

"I have been informed that I will be assigned a new Jedi Master and I'll continue my training."

"Have you been given any indication on who it would be?"

"No, but hopefully someone who can help me hone my combat skills."

"I may know who they assigned to you." Excitement lit up her eyes. Trevor wanted to gauge her skills with the saber. She certainly could emulate any species she saw, but as he had learned on countless occasions, in battle one's lightsaber is the only defense. "Follow me."

Trevor lead her to a training area especially used for sparing and lightsaber drills. They stored her datapads in a locker and proceeded inside. Other Jedi were sparing around the room. Trevor took off his cloak, and Zao took her cue from him. Trevor stood five meters opposite of Zao, turning his face towards her. She seemed to be a bit nervous, but he knew that those energies would go away.

"Show me what you know."

"Yes,…Master?" Trevor bowed to the title, acknowledging that this was the first test of the new Jedi master to his padawan. Lightsabers ignited and Trevor stood only trying to block and defend her advances. She was young, rough-edged and completely undisciplined. That aside, she certainly had skills that needed to be honed properly. Trevor was not sure he was the one for the job, but it made the most sense. They finished their duel, and Trevor spoke once again.

"Not bad, padawan. You have some skills, but we do have a lot to learn."

"Master. The Council has approved already?"

"Many days ago. I wanted to see for myself the kind of student you are."

"Well,…"

"Shall we begin?" he asked, rhetorically.

"When is our first mission?" she asked excitedly.

Trevor, sounding just like Master Shudo when he asked the question, answered, "Patience my young padawan. Patience."

He had barely finished his sentence when his comlink twittered.

- FIN-

Page 11 of 11


End file.
